Mission Volroch
by Jesse Shearer
Summary: A human is stranded on Mobius when his spaceship explodes after beaming him to the surface.
1.

The title of this story is "Mission: Volroch," by Jesse Shearer. It is dedicated to the moon mission Apollo 13 and just takes place  
  
  
"Computer," said Captain Shamus O'Reiley, "are there any life forms on the planet we are now orbiting?"  
"Affirmative. Life signs detected in city-village society social structure, heavy industry present," the computer reported.  
"I wonder if they like to gamble?" asked Shamus's brother Patrick.  
"Unkown," beeped the computer.  
"NOT YOU! We'll find out in the morning. Good night, Pat, computer," said Shamus.  
  
Later that night, while the brothers were sleeping, the ship's transporter went off. The men found themselvs waking up near some plants, near which were some of the planet's inhabitants.  
"These aren't our beds! Why aren't we on Volroch any more?" asked Shamus.  
Since Pat was an overly nervous person, he always slept with his hand lazer in bed with him, and after his shock, he was wildly firing at a large carniverous plant nearby, screaming "Kill it, kill it!" After he had calmed down some, one of the natives watching them approached.  
"Where are we?" asked Shamus.  
"You are on Mobius. My name is Antione de Pardeux. Who are you, sirs?" asked the fox-man.  
"I'm Captian Shamus O'Reily, and this is my paranoid brother, Patrick. Sorry about his shooting," said Shamus. "Do your people gamble?"  
"Sorry, captian, but you are alien and we do not understand your concepts. You will have to teach us," Antione responded.  
"We can't here. How about a trip to Alpha Centauri Station?" asked Pat. "Can we meet your friends first?"  
"Most certainly, sirs," said Antione. "This way, please. I would like you to meet our leader, Princess Sally Acorn; and our trusted friend Sonic Hedgehog."  
The four exchanged handshakes and "Pleased to meet you's." The subject then turned to what the outsiders were doing there, anyway.  
"I heard you use the word `Volroch.' What does this mean?" asked Sally.  
"It's the name of our ship," Shamus explained. "It is, or was, the spacecraft that brought us here. It's in the native language of the people we bought it from, and as far as we know, there's no translation into our language. Had we been fully prepared for our arival, we would have both had weapons and small hand computers. Fortunately, it is my belief that I always need a communication device with me. Therefore, I invented this nice little pin I'm wearing."  
"Ha! I'd like to see it work!" exclaimed Sonic.  
Shamus looked directly at Sonic and tapped his pin, which squeaked.  
"Shamus O'Reily to Volroch main computer," Shamus said. "Present location?"  
To the supprise of the native Mobians, there was a response. What ever voice was at the other end had given some coordinates, 3695 by 2309 by 5600, to be exact.  
"Ship's status?" asked Shamus.  
"All systems functioning normally," the voice responded. Shamus then began to do a visual search of the surroundings.  
"What are you looking for?" asked Antione.  
"Something of sufficeint mass to do a transporter test with. This rozequartz should do just nicely," responded Shamus.  
"What's this `transporter' thing he's looking to test, Mr. Patrick?" asked Sally.  
"Well, ma'am, Shamus needs that stone so he can see if our ship's been invaded or has just made a mistake," explained Pat. "The transporter causes a focused matter-energy conversion, directs the energy stream to a certain three dimentional point and reverses the process. In this case, it will be from wherever Shamus puts that quartz to one of the transporter pads abord Volroch. It shouldn't take more than six seconds total. All ready over there, Shamus?"  
"There appears to be a thin strip of iron in here, but it's not big enough to cause problems. I'm ready to begin testing. Computer," said Shamus at the same time he squeaked his pin, "lock onto the quartz I'm holding in my hand."  
"Lock established," reported the computer  
"Just a second before you begin, Shamus, sir. I have to get NICHOLE," requested Sally.  
"Who's Nichole, Sally?" asked Shamus.  
"As you said about your ship, Shamus, it's not so much who as what. NICHOLE is a hand-held Artificial Intelegence unit, loyal to our Freedom Fighting cause," explained Sally.  
"Hey, that's interesting. I've heard rumors of and android with AI capabilities on our homeworld, Earth, but I don't know if they're true or not," said Pat.  
Shamus agreed and called his computer over his pin and told it to maintain a lokck on the stone and to stand by for further instructions as Sally left. After about five minutes, Sally returned with NICHOLE, which interested Shamus and Pat.  
"Does that thing actually work?" asked Pat.  
"I believe so. I'll find out her status. How are you today, friend?" asked Sally.  
"I am functioning normally. I am prepared for survey of transport procedure," NICHOLE beeped.  
"That's amazing!" exclaimed Shamus. "I guess it's my turn now. "Shamus O'Reily to Volroch. Energize!"  
The loud ring and blue flash of the transporter's activation effect found a different reaction from all who had never seen it before. "What happened? Did I just see that?" asked a dumbstruck Sonic. Sally, although just as awed as Sonic, reacted by asking NICHOLE for analisis of what had just happened. Antione just fainted.  
"Shamus O'Reily to Volroch. What is transport status?" asked Shamus.  
"Transport successfully completed. Sample has been moved to storage area three," reported the computer on the Volroch.  
"Well, Sally, what does she say about *them* apples?" asked Sonic.  
"NICHOLE, report," said Sally.  
"Undefined energy form appears from unknown source, consumes quartz crystal and intensifies by power of 10,000, disapates. Total mass of crystal: one kilogram. Total elapsed time: six seconds," reported NICHOLE.  
"You are pulling my leg, sirs," said Antione, when he woke up. "The rock is just being hidden from us."  
"No joke, my friend. It really got sent to the ship like that," said Shamus.  
"I am not believing you. You will show me where you hid the rock," said Antione.  
"This guy needs some `convincing,' don't you think?" asked Pat.  
"I guess. We might as well bring all three of `em," remarked Shamus.  
"Right. You might as well do it now and get it done with," said Pat.  
"Volroch, five to beam up," Shamus ordered the computer, and in a matter of seconds, the party was aboard the spaceship. Only seconds later, a message signal was recieved from somewhere on the planet. As Shamus went to answer, the signal died.  
"Who or what was it?" asked Sonic.  
"I can't say. The transmission was cut before I could find out," Shamus replied.  
"I for one would like to see this rock sample that was sent here," requested Sally.  
"Hey, why not? I'll go get it," said Pat. Upon finding the quartz sample with the iron in it, Pat had to call Shamus to come and have a look.  
"It looks fine to me, Pat. Where was it?" asked Shamus.  
"Sample storage three, just like the computer said," Pat answered. "Hold it up to the light for a second, brother."  
"That shouldn't change anything, Pat," said Shamus, holding the crystal up to the light. "Hold on, what's this? These metal fillaments aren't iron, they're gold. Was this all that was in there?"  
"Yes. The computer always puts a force filed around any storage compartment that samples are beamed into. Nothing else can get in or out, even by transporter. You should know that as well as I do," said Pat.  
"Well then, we'll have to check every other major system for similar problems. When I went to take that call, I couldn't trace it. The commsystem's circuts seem to have been fried by some sort of high-powered energy field," said Shamus. "If it happened durring the transport of that crystal, that could explain it. I'm just glad it wasn't us."  
"I, too, am glad it was the rock instead of us," said Antione.  
"Right. Shamus, you go check the transporter and helm. I'll recheck the commsystem, then take a look at the computer and Post Light drives. Conference among all aboard to discuss the findings ASAP," said Pat.  
"I'm on it," said Shamus.  
"We'll be waiting here," said Sally.  
In two hours time, the tests were complete and the conference had begun.  
"I didn't find anything too major," said Shamus. "The tracking charts in helm control are on the fritz, and there's a minor fluctuation that occurs randomly in the transporter's imaging scanners. Whatever happened couldn't have been too serious."  
"That glitch in the commcircuts was there, alright," said Pat. "But all other major systems checked out OK."  
"Communications requires just a simple replacement, but the other two need teams of two or more. Besides Pat and I, who here is mechanically skilled?" asked Shamus.  
"Not I," said Antione.  
"I'm not," said Sonic.  
"I am, to an extent. Can I help?" asked Sally.  
"Most definately. We'll still need an extra pair of hands, though. Are you both sure you can't help?" asked Pat.  
"Yes, but there's someone in our village that can help. His name is Rotor Walrus. If it's mechanical or technology, he can fix it," said Sonic. "But I don't think we can call him on the radio here, though."  
"Then I will go and retrieve him," said Antione. "I am not staying on a spaceship with problems. Please don't bring me back."  
"Alright, Mr. de Pardeux. This way, please," said Shamus. "Could you step onto one of those discs over there? I'll have less trouble sending you back."  
"I am ready whenever you are," said Antione.  
"This should set you down fairly close to where you want to go," said Shamus, as he finished entering the coordinates and looked up at Antione, who nodded. "Energising."  
"I'll get to fixing that commsystem," said Pat.  
Meanwhile, Antione had just arrived in Knothole, within sight of Rotor's hut. The sight and sound of the transport had caught Rotor's interest, and he met Antione at the door.  
"There are aliens in orbit that wish your presence aboard their spaceship," reported Antione, once they had stepped back inside the hut.  
"Really? How will they know which one is me?" Rotor asked, seconds before a new gadget appeared on one of his workbenches with a note that said "hold this." Carefully, he reached out and grabbed it. Before he even had time to turn around again, he found himself in a place that looked alot like the lab he had always wanted. When he turned around, he saw Shamus and almost tried to ask a question.  
"Welcome aboard the Starship Volroch," said Shamus. "I'm Captian Shamus O'Reily. Your friends suggested that I bring you here." "I have so many questions, I don't know where to begin," said Rotor.  
"There'll be time for that later, I'm sure," said Shamus. "I've offered your leaders a tour of the solar system once we have everything fixed."  
"What could possibly need fixing in a place like this?" asked Rotor.  
"The transporter, which brought you here; and the tracking charts in the helm," said Shamus. "Since my brother Pat and your princess have already begun work on the helm, we'll start on the transporter."  
"What's wrong with it?" asked Rotor.  
"Random fluxuations in the imaging scanner. If it gets worse, we're all stuck here untill we fix it," said Shamus.  
"You've got my interest," said Rotor. "Let's get started." "Normally, these subsystems shoudn't read semi-active at all. This one here," said Shamus, pointing the probe of a hand sensor at a small square-shaped section behind an open panel, "does. So far, all I've been able to figure out is that there's something caught in the system. What, I'm not exactly sure. What I need you to do is use the scanners over there to make an identification. Understand the controls?"  
"I think so," said Rotor. "The display here says something about Darelus particles, if that's any use."  
"Sure is. It means we'll have to pull the whole imaging scanner unit and purge int manually," said Shamus. "That'll be a pain."  
An hour later, everything was done and all the systems aboard the ship were functioning normally. Then a message came in.  
"This is Ivo Robotnik, High Ruler of Mobius. I have taken control of the transport mechanism onboard your ship. An invasion force will arive shortly." The message ended there.  
"We're doomed," said Sonic.  
"Not quite. He's got one or two more codes to crack, and we'll let him do it. I've got a plan, though. When the force starts coming, I'll beam out that rock sample and disrupt the signals. If we're lucky, only the transporter systems will get fried," said Shamus. An alarm began ringing as soon as he stopped talking.  
"They're coming! Here's the sample!" shouted Pat.  
"Energising," said Shamus. "System overload! It's affecting all non-emergency systems! Computer! Emergency beamout of all essential materials! Now!"  
"Five for emgergency beamout!" Pat called, after the first transport was complete.  
Seconds later, Shamus and the three Mobians were safe on the planet's surface, but Pat was nowhere to be found.  
"I hope he's not lost in this nignt," said Shamus. "Shamus O'Reily to Volroch. Status!"  
"Drive core breach in ten seconds," the computer reported.  
"Where is Patrick O'Reily?" asked Shamus.  
"Onboard Volroch. Five seconds untill drive core breach," reported the computer.  
Shamus cringed and dropped to his knees, almost in tears, as the explosion in orbit became visible in the night sky.  
"Buttnik's gonna pay heavy for that one!" said Sonic.  
"We all feel sorry for you," said Sally.  
"When I first went into business, I had a crew of three and a ship named Pinochle. My best friend, Marcus Kelly, died when we had to destroy it. Now I can never go home," said Shamus.  
"In a way, that's a good thing, though," said Rotor. "You could be the advantage we've been looking for in our fight against Robotnik."  
"How so?" asked Shamus.  
"Your technical skills, for one," Sally answered.  
"I hadn't thought of that," said Shamus. "I guess there's only one thing left for me to do before we head for your village."  
"What's that?" asked Sonic.  
"Quote a man from my world named Joe Kearwin on what he said about a ship that saved him once: `Farewell, Aquarius, and we thank you.'," said Shamus.  
"Why that?" asked Sally.  
"Mr. Kearwin was one of the people on a failed flight to our own moon in the late twentieth century, and the Aquarius was the life pod they used to return to earth after an accident in space damaged their main vessle," explained Shamus.  
"You seem to know alot about that sort of thing," Rotor said. "That could come in handy."  
"It could, at that," said Shamus as the group turned and headed for Knothole Village. "We've got a dictator to overthrow. We'd better get some rest."  
  
The End.  
  
Here's my first. Not the best or worst, but here.  
  
  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters and places copyright SEGA Incorporated, DIC Entertainment, and Archie Comics.  
  
Star Trek items copyright Paramount Pictures.  
  



	2. 

Memories of Friends and Famil  
By Jesse Shearer  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog characters and locations copyright SEGA, Inc., Archie Comics and DIC Entertainment.  
Shamus O'Reiley created by Jesse Shearer.  
Saphire "Speed" McSpike created by Emily Smith.  
All other characters belong to their respective creators.  
The folk song "Spancil Hill" can be found on the CD "Celtic Myst," copyright World Disc Productions.  
  
It had been a bright and sunny day around Knothole. Some of the residents had gone swimming in a nearby lake to avoid the heat since Robotnik had been staying quiet for the past week, and Captain Shamus O'Reiley had joined them, having taken a break from working on his nearly-completed flying craft project.  
"I don't think I've had that much fun in five years," Shamus said, with a grin.  
"Glad to hear it, sugah," said Bunnie, who was just ahead and to the right of him.  
"I'm just glad Buttnik's not tryint to mess up such a nice day," Sonic told the group.  
"Me, too," said Sally, as she walked beside Sonic and held his hand.  
"That makes five of us," Shamus responded, refering to himself, Bunnie, and Tails, who was laging slightly behind the others. He was feeling down and wasn't really talking, and noone knew quite why.  
When they got back to Knothole, all five went to their individual dwellings and started going about other activities in their daily routines. Once Shamus had gotten his normal clothes back on, he began reviewing some of his designs over a mug of green tea. He hadn't been at it long when Bunnie and Tails showed up at his hut just outside Knothole.  
"Oh, hey guys, what's up?" Shamus asked when he saw them in the window.  
"Not much," said Bunnie. "Mind if we come in?"  
"Sure, come on in," the human said. "What can I do for you?"  
"Well, I sorta need to have a word with you in private first," said Bunnie.  
"OK. Have a seat at the table there, little buddy," Shamus said to Tails as he motioned to the dining table in the center of the hut. "What can I do for you?"  
"Tails says he misses his parents," said Bunnie. "They were captured by Robotnik when he was four years old. That trip to the beach musta brought up some memories of them. I thought maybe talking to you might help him some."  
"I'll see what I can do," said Shamus, as they headed over to the table and sat down, Shamus across from Tails and Bunnie at Tails' side.  
"So, you're feeling a bit down?" asked Shamus. "Is there anything I can do to help? Would you like to talk about it?"  
"I miss my mom and dad," said Tails. "I miss them a whole lot."  
"You know, sometimes I miss my parents, too," Shamus told him. "When I do, I also think about all the fun we used to have when we were together."  
"But Robotnik went and turned mine into slaves!" Tails wailed, on the edge of tears. "Yours are still alive and back on Earth!"  
"That's half true, anyway," said Shamus. "Let me tell you a little story. I think it'll help prove how you and I are actually a little bit alike."  
"How can that be?" asked Tails.  
"Well," said Shamus, "when I was about twenty five years old, my parents were killed in a shuttle accident. The pilot of the other shuttle was on some sort of halucinagin when it happened. He lived. All I could think think about doing for a long time after was find a way to do to him what he had done to me and my brother. About a year later I calmed down and realized that the man's shuttle licence had been permanently revoked and he would spend the rest of his life in rehabilitation. So, my brother Pat and I took it to court. The judge that heard our case agreed with our argument and recomended a law to Earth's government. Now, not even the tiniest amounts of any of the ingredients for that class of drug can get into my home solar system without a special permit and at least three armed guards on the ship."  
"But Robotnik took my parents! It was the day after my birthday and we had gone to the beach..." said Tails before he began crying.  
"And we're all working very hard to stop Robotnik and bring back not only your parents, but *all* the people he's enslaved," Shamus explained as he reached out and took one of the young fox's hand in his own.  
"We're all here for you, sugha," Bunnie told Tails, taking his other hand. Having both Bunnie and Shamus around seemed to calm him, and he had nearly stopped crying within a few minutes.  
"What did your parents look like?" he asked a few minutes later, when he could speak again.  
"I keep a family picure in one of my drawers. Let me get it for you," Shamus said. After rifling through the top drawer in the chest by his bed for a few seconds, he returned, put a picture frame on the table and turned it's lumination on to reveal a picure of himself and his brother standing behind two gray haired but distinguished looking humands, one a slightly balding man who had a beard something like the one Shamus had, the other a woman with neck-length hair. In the background was a tree decorated with lights and festive-looking ornaments.  
"Wow! You really take after your dad!" Tails said, sounding happier.  
"When was this picture taken?" asked Bunnie.  
"Christmas Day, 3203," Shamus told her. "It was at our home in Macroom, Ireland, about a year and a half before my parents died."  
"That's really sad that you remember it that way," said Tails.  
"Unfortunately," Shamus said. "But I've got lots of other happier ones, too, if you'd like to see them."  
"We'd betta get off ta training, sugha," Bunnie said in response to the offer.  
"Feel free to come back any time," Shamus told them as they got up and headed for the door. "My door is always open."  
After Bunnie and Tails had gone, Shamus went back to his picure drawer and got out a handful of other pictures and began looking at them. For each one, he had a memory. One of the ones that was the strongest for him was of himself, his brother, and their friends James Keating and Marcus Kelley. They were standing on an ocean beach on a planet called Zandor Three, after having just missed the final round of a beach volleyball tournament by one point. Even though the four-person Zandorian team had beaten them, it had still been fun, and the thought had made him happy. But it also made him sad because he knew that both his brother and Marcus were dead, and he hadn't heard from Keating for a few months before Shamus had crashed. As far as Shamus knew, he was the only person in that particular picture that was still alive. Time slipped away as Shamus looked at his photo collection, and before long one of the friends he had made since coming to Mobius, Saphire "Speed" McSpike, had come to his window to tell him that the weekly village dinner was ready, and almost everyone else was already there.  
"Oh, yes," Shamus said when he heard Speed tell him that they were waiting for him and a few others. "I'll be right there."  
As the pair headed for the village, Speed asked him why he had almost missed the gathering enven though he had known about it since the previous week.  
"Oh, just remembering old friends," Shamus explained.  
"Tell me about them," Speed said, excitedly.  
"Well, there were my friends Marcus Kelley and James Keating," Shamus began. "The last time my brother and I were toghether with both of them at once, we entered a beach volleyball tournament on Zandor Three. We missed the final round by one point to an all Zandorian team, but it was still great fun."  
"Why haven't you seen both of them at the same time since?" asked Speed.  
"A few months later, Marcus was killed in a fight with some relatively new interstellar empire," Shamus explained. "They hadn't been heard of much before, and I don't think they've been to active since, either. And I haven't heard from Jim in a long time, either. Now that Pat's dead, I may well be alone once I leave here..."  
"I'm sure Sonic and Sally will let you stay as long as you like once we beat Robotnik," Speed reassured him.  
"That's good to know," Shamus replied.  
A few minutes later, they entered the village and smelled the food in the air. The odor brought a smile to the captain's face.  
"You know," he said, "if we were anywhere else, I'd swear we were having game hens and baked potatoes."  
"You're part right," Speed said. "But then, we usually have baked potatoes when Dulcy helps cook. You know as well as I do it's one of the few foods she can get right."  
"True, true," Shamus responded. "But I can't place what could smell like my mom's game hen recipe around here."  
"It must be Bunnette's secret stuffed vegitable recipe. She only does it once or twice a year, and I think this is the first time she's done it since you've been here," Speed suggested. When they arrived at the tables in the village square, there were three open seats at Sally's table left, and they took two of them.  
"Well, look who's here!" exclaimed Sally. "Now we're only waiting on Sonic."  
"He's not here yet?" asked Shamus.  
"Did I hear someone say my name?" asked Sonic, after racing in barely a minute before the salad course was to be served. At the table with the two couples were Bunnie, Rotor, and Tails. As they ate their salads, the group discussed how Shamus had helped Tails out of his depression and the possibility of Shamus becoming Knothole's guidance counselor.  
"And don't say you're not that good," Sally told Shamus, "because you are."  
"I still have to be modest, Sally," Shamus said. "It's just that Tails and I happen to have a lot in common. The fact that we're both the last living members of our families, for instance."  
"How much longer untill zee main course es completed?" Antoine asked from a nearby table, having finished his salad and noticed that many others were almost at the same point.  
"About five more minutes," Bunnette called from the cookhouse near the back of the square.  
"Enough time for one song," Sally commented. "You haven't sung for us in awhile, Shamus. Why not sing us a song?"  
"Sure, why not?" Shamus responded. At that, Sally stood up and announced what was going on.  
"Attention! Captain O'Reiley has a song for us," Sally shouted. "Shamus, if you please."  
"This song's called `Spancil Hill'," Shamus said as he stood up. "It's a folk song in the region of Earth I'm from, Ireland. I've altered it a touch for the situation, but it's basically the same. It's also a touch sad, but here goes."  
As he sang, Shamus noticed a few people beginning to tear up at the end of each verse:  
  
Last night as I lay dreaming of pleasant days gone by  
Me mind been bent on rambling, to Ireland I did fly  
I stepped on board a vision and followed with a will  
Till next I came to anchor at the cross near Spancil Hill  
  
Delighted by the novelty, enchanted with the scene  
Where in my early childhood so often I had been  
I thought I heard a murmur, I think I hear it still  
It's the little stream of water that flows down Spancil Hill  
  
I paid a flying visit to my first and only love  
As fair as any lilly, as gentle as a dove  
She threw her arms around me, crying Shamus, I love you still  
She was my only love, she was the pride of Spancil Hill  
  
When Shamus finished the song, almost everyone was looking at or touching that one person they considered most special. Shamus noticed that Tails was right near him and put a hand on his shoulder.  
"Will you be my family untill we get my parents back?" Tails asked.  
"I'll do the best I can," Shamus told him. "I promise I will."  
From then on, Tails and Shamus became good friends through regular visits. From time to time, other villagers would also come to talk to Shamus when they had problems to work out, and in time, he became a valued member of the community.  
  
The End  
  
Author's End Note:  
OK, OK, I said "A Time of Positives" would be my last SatAM Sonic story. Well, when Alex Weitzman wrote his story based on the AOL Chat "Bleeding Flame," in which Robotnik was killed, I felt a need to write a story like this, and "Memories" is what came out of it. So I've decided to stop saying that any particular one will be the last. I'm not planning on writing any more like this. If I do, I guess I just do. If not, that'll be unfortunate, but I guess all good things must come to an end eventually, right? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the story. See you online!  
--Jesse Shearer  
email: ambasosor_lardo@hotmail.com or JMShearer@aol.com  
  



	3. 

Prologue  
  
The time frame for this work is one and one half years after the arrival of Captain Shamus O'Reiley on Mobius. He, with the help of Sonic and crew, has invented and adapted many things to aid not only in his search for a way home, but also in the defeat of Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Now Shamus needs more space to work. Fortunately, he has found such a place....  
  
The Lab.  
  
"Yes!!!" shouted Captain Shamus O'Reiley. "We've perfected the first airship of this kind in over three hundred years!! I'm in the air where I belong again!! Thanks for the help, everyone!"  
"You're welcome, Shamus," said Bunnie. "Glad we could help."  
"Tell me again how this thing is powered," requested Sonic.  
"It's a double-reaction nuclear power generator. First, the waste we put in is superheated and then dumped into a chamber at absolute zero, where it collapses in on itself and fusion begins. The helium and hydrogen left over helps keep us afloat. When that's done, fission takes over, and the radioactive atoms are split," explained Shamus.  
"I can handle that," said Sonic.  
What Shamus had not said, of course, is that there would be some radioactive waste. The kind that not only took millennia to become totally inert, but, if used in the wrong hands, was capable of global destruction.  
"Let's take this thing for a test flight!" suggested Tails.  
"Good idea! Do you mind if I assign posts, Sally?" asked Shamus.  
"Go right ahead," said Sally.  
"Thank you. Tails, you have navigation; Bunnie, take engineering; Sonic, security is yours; and, I insist that Sally take the command position," said Shamus.  
"Everyone clear? Good. I've got one question, though. What will you do, Mr. O'Reiley?" asked Sally.  
"The conn is mine. I'll be setting and engaging the course and speed as well as monitoring all systems," explained Shamus.  
"OK, let's begin. Stations," said Sally.  
Suddenly, Sapphire McSpike otherwise known as Speed, boarded the airship, ran over, and sat on Shamus's lap. "Can I come, too, Shamie-pie?" she asked.  
"Sure, but let me get you a post first," said Shamus, helping Speed up and standing as well.  
"OK, where will I be?" asked Speed.  
"Over here monitoring reactor core temperature. If it gets above ten million Kelvins, say something," explained Shamus.  
"You got it," returned Speed, who then kissed Shamus for no good reason.  
"Shamie-pie?" chuckled Tails when Shamus returned to his seat at the conn.  
"Ahem. Now, lets get down to business. Navigator, I need a course to the Grand Mountains," requested Shamus.  
"One-three-five by two-zero-six mark one-one-four-zero. Ten minutes at thirty knots," reported Tails  
"Course and speed set, ready to engage at your command, Princess," reports Shamus.  
"Engage," ordered Sally.  
Things went smoothly for the first several minutes of the maiden voyage of the Airship Mobius, as the crew called her, but then, the conn started showing some odd readings.  
"Are you getting this?" Shamus asked Bunnie. "What's the temperature over there, Speed?"  
"I thought that the buildup was normal," she replied.  
"The temp. is 9,000,000 K," reported Speed  
"Not this one. If it were just heavy metals, I wouldn't worry," said Shamus. "This ooze never showed up in the tests. Temp's normal, though."  
Suddenly, there was a loud pop from the engine section, and Speed was laying flat on her back in a pile of translucent brown goo. Shamus was over her almost instantly with a scanner, and taking samples.  
"She's all right for now, but the slime's got some strange readings to it. The engine's shot. We won't be able to stay up much longer," reported Shamus. "Luckily, we're over a grassy valley. I'll land us now and we can make plans there."  
As they desended, Speed's lifelong friends expressed their concern. Shamus did his best to comfort them.  
"Although the slime's readings were unclear, I believe it to be harmless. It might even be good for her," explained Shamus.  
"We're down. Let's have a look outside," said Shamus  
Upon landing and exiting, the crew began looking around and tending to their fallen comrade. Speed's unexpected recovery and reaction startled all, especially Shamus, who was on the receiving end of some strong affection from the cybernetic hedgehog.  
"Woah, woah, before you hurt the both of us! Please let go of me so I can get some readings of this," requested Shamus.  
"But I love you so much!!" exclaimed Speed.  
"We know that now. Whatever this stuff is and does, it's strong! I never thought she'd actually do this," noted Shamus.  
"How so?" asked Sonic.  
"She usually ran away whenever I tried to touch her, and just now, she hit me so hard, I was knocked back three meters with force to spare, and I'm three times her size, at least," said Shamus.  
"What should we do?" asked Sally.  
"I'll go back to Knothole and get help," answered Sonic, before speeding off.  
"You three stay and guard the airship," Shamus said to Sally , Bunnie and Tails. "Since there's no chance of Speed leaving me for a while, the two of us will explore that cave."  
When the two entered, a huge metal door came crashing shut behind them, and wouldn't reopen.  
After about an hour's worth of searching, the cave crew realized that they were in some sort of laboratory.  
"The main computer seems to be functional, still," said Shamus. "Now all we need is a power source."  
"This device could be one, sweetie," Speed told him.  
"You're right! It's still got some charge to it. And I'm not your loverboy yet!" retorted Shamus. "OK, I've got it now. You can let go."  
"Oh, you know I can't."  
"You're right. I do, and... Ouch. Oh, ouch. That really hurts," said Shamus as he fell to the ground.  
"What? What is it?" asked Speed.  
It took Shamus a minute or two of moaning on the floor to recover, but when he did, he told Speed what his problem was.  
"Minor heart attack. I've had about five since I wound up on Mobius. Never did last more than a second or two though, 'cept for that one."  
"Well then, why didn't you go to see Sasha? Her skills could keep you from dieing, which will keep us together," said Speed.  
"I'll be dead before I turn seventy, anyway. I'm too out of shape for a guy my size." said Shamus.  
"Are either of you in any way in need of assistance?" asked a strange voice that caused both Shamus and Speed to turn in fright.  
Behind them stood a moogle that neither had seen before. Both were curious, but waited for the other to speak first.  
"Who are you?" asked Shamus.  
"I am Illusion, the Holographic Laboratory Assistant," said Illusion.  
"I'm alright now. What kept you?" asked Shamus.  
"I had to burn off some dust from my projection circuits. I see why you're well now," said Illusion, who was trying to get a better look at Speed.  
"Sorry, hooligan, this sweetie has already claimed me," argued Speed.  
"There is something you can help us with," interrupted Shamus as he began showing the sample jars of the slime. "I need these samples analyzed."  
"What are they?" asked Illusion as he began to peer closely at the sample jars Shamus was holding.  
"It's this slime. It appears to be psycoreactive in nature," said Shamus.  
"More of that goo that I was covered in when we first got here," commented Speed, who was once again holding Shamus' arm, just to feel safe.  
"Well, doctor, take them over to the analyzer. I'll have the results soon," said Illusion.  
"Doctor? Doctor who?" asked Shamus.  
"Dr. Charles Hedgehog, of course. Have you forgotten who you are?"  
"No. It's just that my name is Captain Shamus O'Reiley, and this is Sapphire McSpike."  
"Why wasn't I informed of this? Oh well. Just give me those jars and I'll get started," said Illusion.  
"OK," said Shamus, as he put the glass containers in Illusion's hand which they instantly fell through, and broke on the floor, which splattered their contents all over Shamus and Speed.  
"Oops! Should have checked all my 'grab' functions," said Illusion.  
"Get us apart! Get us apart! We'll go wild over one another and who knows what else!!!" exclaimed Shamus, between wild kisses with Speed.  
"I'm a hologram, Shamus! I can't do anything until my program is fully functional. What should I try first?" asked Illusion.  
"Going away!" shouted Speed.  
"Alright...What? He just asked me to help you. Shamus?" asked Illusion.  
"The door!! We're on the wrong side of it!!! Get us outta here!!" shouted Shamus.  
"The door program's jammed, but I'm working on it," reported Illusion.  
Meanwhile, back in Knothole, Sonic was busy recruiting a team of freedom fighters to go and explore the area where the airship had emergency landed. Many, of course, were a bit wary of the human, knowing of Robotnik's treachery over the years. Fortunately there was one person brave enough to go with Sonic.  
"Me? Why should I have to go anywhere near that blob of fat? He's probably as bad as Robotnik." commented Sasha.  
"Speed's been injured and might have gone mad. She had some sort of outburst over the captain. If he dies from injuries sustained from that, who'll you have to use as a scapegoat for all those pies you steal from Sal to keep up your strength?" asked Sonic.  
"I hate to admit it, but I guess even I'll miss him if he is killed. Any other volunteers?" asked Sasha.  
Rotor stepped forward to help, so Sonic and Sasha used their own special powers to get to where they were needed, with their larger friend following as fast as he could.  
Back at the lab, Illusion had finally managed to get the main door working, and had transferred his program to Shamus' hand unit to be taken outside to survey the damaged airship. Shamus and came flying out the opened hatch in a lab cart at the same time that Sonic, Sasha and Rotor arrived.  
"Hey, there's Shamus and Speed now. Let's see what's up with them," commented Sonic. Seconds later, he was clearing a landing space for his airborne friends.  
As soon as Sonic and Sasha had stepped out of the way, Shamus and Bunnie landed.  
"Ohhhh, ouch. More pain," said Shamus.  
"What hit me?" asked Speed.  
"Here's a better question," Rotor returned harshly. "What were you two doing in there? And, come to think of it, where's Sally and Tails?"  
"Exploring," replied Shamus.  
"Sally-girl and Tails went lookin' for a back door to that burrow. You were hit by a flying human, Speed," Bunnie followed.  
"I'm alright," said Speed as Sasha checked her over, "but you should check Shamus. He said something about a funny pain while we were in there."  
"No, no, I'm ok. Just a minor heart attack. I'm fine now. Besides, we gotta find Sally and Tails," explained Shamus, trying to avoid a probe.  
"You're not going to get out of it that easily this time, Shamus. I think you've been avoiding me, and now I know why. This won't hurt a bit," Sasha said, as she put one hand on the human's forehead.  
"You're right, that didn't hurt," commented Shamus, who's hair and beard were standing on end after thirty seconds of a telepathic probe.  
"My stars!" exclaimed Sasha. "This man shouldn't be alive at all, but somehow he is. His arteries and veins are so plugged up, I don't know how to go about fixing the problem."  
"Heart surgery?" asked Shamus.  
"Not unless you know of a surgeon who knows human physiology," answered Sally.  
"Well, then, since I don't have long to go, I'll hook this into the ship's power supply, and let Illusion take over," said Shamus, as he stepped onto the airship. Ten minutes later, Illusion was once again visible.  
"Thank you. I prefer you stay prompt when you say prompt. This place is a mess. It'll take us weeks to cleanup, and....Who's this?" asked Illusion, upon seeing Bunnie, who took a swat at him with her robotic arm.  
"Yeah, who?" asked Bunnie.  
"Bunnie Rabot, meet Illusion the Holographic Lab Assistant, and vice versa," said Shamus. "And these people are Sonic the Hedgehog, Sasha Prower, and Roter Walrus."  
"Pleased to meet you, too, big guy," said Sonic.  
"Same here, I think," responded Illusion. "What happened to this place?"  
"We were flying along at a fairly good pace, minding our own business, when all of a sudden, this panel, which was covering a section of the coolant section, exploded, covering our lovely friend with that slime I showed you. Unfortunately, I also showed you what happens when it comes in contact with living tissues," explained Shamus.  
"Yes, which means I'll have to do all the work myself," complained Illusion. "But, since you're here, I may as well analyze this stuff for you. What you appear to have as a power source is a conversion-type multiphaze nuclear reactor, which would account for the substance in question's makeup of water molecules fuzed with helium. Voice records in this hand unit of yours indicate than Miss McSpike was nearest this section for the entire flight. Therefore, it is my belief that she poseses limited telepathic or magical powers, which projected her feelings of passion for the captain into this substance. But this still leaves two unanswered questions."  
"Why did it form and what made it burst out of the panel," said Sasha.  
"Precisely. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get this mess cleaned up and the generator going again before the power reserves are gone completely," commented Illusion.  
"Certainly, Illusion. We've got to find Sally and Tails anyway," Shamus remembered. "Before we get started, though, I'd like everyone to take one of these pins. They'll keep us in contact, no matter where we are."  
As the group filed out, each took one of the pins, and left in his or her own direction in hopes of finding their missing comrades. The remaining daylight hours passed with no success, as did nightfall. About an hour later, Shamus was over the communicator with good news.  
"O'Reiley to all search party members. I've found Sally! Besides a few bruses, she seems to be in good health," Shamus reported.  
"Sonic here," Sonic called in, "have you found Tails yet?"  
"No, but I'm scanning for him now," reported the captain, as he did a broad range search with a second hand unit that he carried. "Anyone else?"  
"This is the HLA, captain. He's here, I think. A young-looking fox with two tails showed up, and then passed out only seconds afterward," reported Illusion. "He had a broken leg, and I took measures to prevent further injuries."  
"That's him!" shrieked Speed.  
"All search party members report to the airship. Conference," ordered Shamus, as he scooped Sally up in his arms and started back to the airship himself.  
Five minutes into the return trip, Sally regained enough strength to start asking questions.  
"What's going on here? Where are we going?" she asked.  
"Save your strength, Princess. We'll both do our explaining when we get back to the ship," responded Shamus. In another five minutes, they had arrived back at the airship and boarded, as had most of the other searchers.  
"Ok, now here's what we've got for information, people," said Shamus. "I found Sally, in a weakened state, about an eighth of a kilometer from here. Once we began our return trip, she gained enough strength to speak. Illusion, you say Tails showed up here with a broken leg, and collapsed into unconsciouses shortly thereafter. Anything else you can tell us?"  
"Yes, captain, there is," replied Illusion. In the few seconds that he remained conscious, he said a single word, but I couldn't make out what it was."  
"Does anyone know anything else?" asked Shamus.  
"I may have somethin'," remarked Bunnie. "I found this basket about a half a kilometer from here in the other direction from where those two came from. It's Sally's work. I saw her do it."  
"Yes, yes, I did make a basket while we waited for you and Speed. Tails and I went to find a rear entrance, and I took that just in case we found some fruit on the way," explained Sally. "We found some apples, then something, a SWAT-BOT mabey, threw us around, and I landed about a hundred yards away, Tails went a few feet further. Before I blacked out, I saw something fly overhead."  
"Sasha, status of your patient?" asked Shamus.  
"His leg is healed," said Sasha, "but just when he'll return to us I can't say."  
"Rotor, Sonic, Speed? How about you?" asked Shamus.  
"Nothing," all three answered, in unison.  
"By the way, Illusion," mentioned Speed, "what did you do with all that slime that was in here?"  
"I vaporized it," answered Illusion, as he walked over to a counter and made himself solid enough to pick up a hand lazer and set it down again. "This little gem did the trick right away. As soon as I finished, some sort of flying craft managed to pull it right out of the ship. I did figure out what the slime's molecular structure was. It was based on the water molecule, with three extra hydrogen atoms and a carbon atom. My hypothesis as to why Ms. McSpike reacted the way she did is that the slime was like an enhancement drug on the emotional center of her brain, which, at the time, was focused on her intense love for Shamus, or at least that's what the logs in this device tell me."  
"It's true, Shamie-pie. If it hasn't been made clear already, I love you," said Speed. "This just came to mind. Last time I was in Robotopolis, I overheard Snively telling a few of those vile robots about an aircraft that can make it's fuel directly from the air."  
"Yayahhh!!!" screamed Tails, who had just become conscious.  
"What's wrong, dear?" asked Sasha.  
"I had a nightmare that Robotnik captured me and used me for horrible things. What is that thing?" asked Tails, pointing at Illusion.  
"I am Illusion, the Holographic Laboratory Assistant," explained Illusion.  
"Does that mean you're some sort of ghost?" asked Tails, now full of energetic curiosity.  
"Sort of. It means that I'm a picture made of light focused through a computer," explained Illusion.  
"So that's why I can see you but not touch you," said Tails.  
"You'd better rest for a bit, Tails. How are you holding out for energy, Illusion?" asked Shamus.  
"Ok, sir," complied Tails who hovered away from Illusion, and over into a nearby chair, in which he fell fast asleep.  
"I'm not doing so good. If you save and end my program now, I can make it back to the lab and my regenerating power supply," said Illusion.  
"We'll do that. Once we're done getting you hooked up, we'd better get some sleep ourselves. Speed, would you mind taking care of Tails here tonight? He needs to rest, and I don't want to move him," said Shamus.  
"I'll take care of him as if he were my own, my sweet," replied Speed, and then kissed Shamus.  
"Thank you. Illusion, now," ordered Shamus. Illusion, knowing to save and end his program in the hand unit, did so. An hour later, Illusion had been returned to the lab computer and directed the reduced crew to sleeping quarters, where they spent the rest of the night and half of the next day resting from their adventures of the previous day.  
When they awoke, Shamus, Bunnie, and Illusion spent the rest of the day designing a new coolant system for the reactor drives aboard the airship.  
"This one should work. Let's run the simulation," Shamus said, about midday.  
"Right," answered Illusion.  
"The simulation is running. Operating temperature of nine million kelvins reached; no change in molecular structure of coolant shown," reported Bunnie.  
"Coolant temperatures at acceptable levels; no system blockage shown; everything is running smoothly," Shamus told his comrades.  
"All engine systems powering down," Illusion reported. "We're through safe. Suggested procedure, sir?"  
"Let's run it a few more times, just to be sure," said Shamus.  
After several more successful tests, all three took breaks of sorts, during which Bunnie and Sally traded places and Shamus looked for water and a place for a garden, in which he had limited success. During his break, Illusion found an interesting file in his memory banks that he thought might aid in the building of the coolant system.  
"It was marked Energizing circuit. Although it appears to be all one circuit, the title leads me to believe differently," explained Illusion.  
"I recognize it," remarked Shamus, as he pointed at the main screen in the computer room. "This looks like the main relay circutboard from the transporter onboard the Volroch, or at least it was, before it got blown up with the rest of the ship."  
"Illusion, you do realize that this may be one of Mr. O'Reiley's old files from those days, don't you?" asked Sally.  
"I explored that possibility. When I was downloaded back to this computer, all the files in Shamus's hand unit came with me, including the ones from this 'transporter' of yours," Illusion explained, with an annoyed sound in his voice. "I'll bring up the closest match up on a side screen."  
Shamus took a close look at both and then asked Illusion to superimpose the two in the main screen.  
"One connection," said Shamus. "I only need to change one connection, and then what we'll have is a transporter and replicator relay board. Then we can replicate any part or food in the program library, and beam it anywhere."  
"I just had a thought. NICHOLE has the circut skematics for the robiticicisors in Robotnik's lab. If I hook her up and run the program, you could do a comparison, Illusion," said Sally, as she did so.  
Illusion put the circut from his file on the screen then superimposed the one of the roboticizer. To the shock of both living people present, it was an exact match.  
"This is not good," said Shamus.  
"Why not?" asked Illusion.  
"Robotnik uses that thing to turn living breathing people like Shamus and myself into evil robots that are his slaves. If Charlie invented it and let Robotnik get it, well I just hate to think it," explained Sally.  
"What's worse, anyone from Knothole Village that gets captured is run through that infernal machine. Half a dozen unfortunate souls got axed by that thing in the year and a half that I've been here. And from what I've heard, from reliable sources, some who have talked to Dr. Hedgehog himself, there's no reversing the process, there's no stopping it, there's just no toutching Robotnik's version of it," Shamus explained further.  
"Well then," remarked Illusion, "we need to get your transporting device online, and add weapons to your airship as soon as we can."  
As Shamus and Illusion worked nearly tirelesly for a week strait with building the transporter, and defensive and offensive systems for the airship, the Freedom Fighters ran several recon missions into Robotopolis and gained some information about the flying device that Robotnik was using.  
"It doesn't have sensors or weapons, but it's shields are quite strong," reported Bunnie, durring the strategy meeting after everything was complete.  
"Reason?" asked Shamus.  
"It's drive core must not take damage. It's more unstable than the reactor core on the Mobius," explained Sally. "The sheilds are so strong to protect the gyroscope and balance systems on it , I think."  
"You're probably right," said Shamus. "Does anyone know what kind of shields they are?"  
"I heard him say they were Magneto-Ionic shields," answered Speed.  
"That's not good," said Shamus. "We'll have to knock them out on the forst shot if we wanna knock the balance systems off-line. Illusion, airship system status?"  
"Well, captain, we can go as soon as we get the reactor core cleaned and reloaded. I can do that with my program and the cleaning containers you designed with the engines," reported Illusion.  
"What's 'not good' about the shields Robuttnik's using?" asked Sonic.  
"We have only one option to disable it and destroy that ship: nuclear missiles," explained Shamus.  
"Explain," requested Sally.  
"Nuclear missiles are explosives that use uranium-236 as the explosive mass," explained Shamus. "It's one of the most horrible weapon ever invented on my world. The explosion burns and then knocks apart any nonliving and non-fleshy biomass that it touches, and that says nothing for what it lands on."  
"All of a sudden, I'm very afraid of you, Shamus, and I think I speak for all of Knothole when I say this," said Bunnie.  
"I've always been afraid of myself," responded Shamus, "and moreso now that I have no choice to do the atomic weapons. I, therefore, do believe I understand your fear."  
"What's your plan, Shamus?" asked Speed.  
"Well, the explosion's gonna have to take place at least one hundred and fifty kilometers away from any inhabited areas and at leas the same distance up. I have a system that can be attached to a ship and fool it into going anywhere we want it to," explained Shamus. "There is one problem, though. It has a small remote device that has to be attached to the bottom of its intended target. From what I understand, Old Roundboy's whatever it is has to be in the air to get at it's underside. Doing that with the airship would ruin it completely."  
"There is one person who could help," remarked Tails, who was just there to be there.  
At that moment, Dulce Dragon came sliding into the main computer room. Somehow, they convinced her to do it. Six weeks later, all was in readiness.  
"This is the last chance I'll have to wish you good luck be fore we go in," Shamus told Dulce.  
"WE?" she asked. "When did you decide to come along?"  
"You'll need air support, someone to cover you on the way in. I've got an airship that needs testing. And, besides, I'd feel kinda bad if anything happened to you," replied Shamus.  
This brought smiles and laughs from everyone except, of course, Speed, who had started to sulk.  
"Oh, c'mon, Speed, Dulce and I are just friends, nothing like you and I, I'm sure. Am I right?" asked Shamus, as he turned from Speed to Dulce. The dragon's response was a nice kiss on the man's cheek. "Well. Jus what I was thinking," quipped Shamus as he turned red.  
Now everyone was laughing, even Speed.  
"You're shy, aren't you, captain?" asked Tails.  
"Yes, yes I am," replied Shamus.  
"We'd better get going," remarked Sally. "If our sources are correct about the launch pattern of that thing Robotnik's got, the next launch is in half an hour."  
"Hey, she's right," said Sonic.  
"Everyone remember what to do?" asked Shamus.  
"Tails and I go back to Knothole and help Bunnie and Rotor install the blast shields, in case this doesn't work," replied Speed.  
"Sal and I keep the ground forces busy while Dulce puts that thingamajig on Robuttnik's flier. Afterwards, we go back to Knothole and she goes with you," said Sonic.  
"Right. And I'll fly backup for her. Illusion, you'll have to stay here and monitor it all," ordered Shamus.  
"Yes, sir," responded Illusion.  
"If this comes out well, Shamus, there'll be something between us, you know," Dulce remarked.  
"Uh, yeah," responded Shamus. "Let's get going."  
Meanwhile, at Robotnik's headquarters, launch preparations for the evil airship weren't going quite as smoothly.  
"What do you mean by telling me that the Freedom Fighters have their own airship, Snively?" asked Robotnik.  
"It's that human they've been working with, sir. About a month ago, he completed work on an airship of his own. By now, they know about our plan and have upgraded their defenses to prevent an attack," reported Snively.  
"Why wasn't I informed sooner?" the doctor roared.  
"We hadn't finished analyzing the data from that first run until just five minutes ago, sir," answered Snively.  
"Launch the craft!" ordered Robotnik.  
"SWAT-BOT team five report to speeder craft for duty," Snively ordered, over the intercom. Three minutes later, the speeder was in the air and looking for Knothole. Two after that, the two crafts met.  
"Now what's going on, Snively?" asked Robotnik.  
"It appears to be some sort of attack, sir. I can't figure out what's going on," Snively replied. Seconds later, a message came in from Shamus.  
"Robotnik? O'Reiley here," said the face on the screen, "I've decided to help you for once. These people are hypnotized to put a sensor on your craft that will help you find Knothole."  
"A wise choice, Mr. O'Reiley," responded Robotnik. "Once I've destroyed that village, you'll be aptly rewarded. But, first, I'm going to see how well you fight."  
"Thank you, sir. I'll be waiting," said Shamus. "O'Reiley out."  
"Why didn't you think of this, Snively?" Robotnik asked.  
"I don't know, sir," Snively answered.  
Moments later, it was all over, the airship had departed, as had the Mobians. Because there had been no apparent winner, both sides were happy.  
Within an hour, the evil airship had reached the falsified coordinates of Knothole Village. At that time, the nuclear missile was launched from Shamus' lab, which had also been protected.  
Seeing his destroyer team search in vain angered Robotnik greatly, prompting him to call Shamus at his lab.  
"You tricked me, O'Reiley. I don't like being tricked," growled Robotnik, over a communications channel.  
"Then you've probably guessed that those Freedom Fighters weren't hypnotized, either," responded Shamus. "And if you don't like that surprise, you've only got about one minute to wait for another."  
"What's he talking about, Snively?" Robotnik asked his hairless lackey.  
"There appears to be a missile on a direct course with the speeder, sir. Impact in thirty seconds, though no damage will be done," answered Snively.  
"Think again," said Shamus.  
Seconds later, the missile hit and caused an explosion that made shock waves in the planet's atmosphere, despite the distance used for safety.  
"Surprise!" laughed Shamus before closing the channel.  
"One day, O'Reiley, you'll pay for this! I'll see to that!!" cursed Robotnik.  
Meanwhile, back in Knothole and at the lab, there was much cheering and celebrating.  
"Yes!! Yes!! We did it!! We actually did it, and it worked!!" cheered Shamus.  
"Now I understand why Speed's attracted to you. I hope you do, too," remarked Dulce before she kissed Shamus.  
"I never will," responded Shamus.  
At that same time, the others were also starting their celebration. Naturally, Sonic started bragging.  
"I bet I can do that any day," bragged Sonic.  
"Oh, sure you could, Sonic," remarked Sally.  
"That's my Shamie-pie," said Speed.  
Shortly thereafter, a message came in from the lab.  
"Knothole here. May we lower the shield?" asked Sally.  
"Yes," said Illusion. "Shamus asked me to call and ask you to do so. We will be arriving shortly."  
"Why didn't Mr. O'Reiley call and say so himself?" asked Sally.  
"Miss Dulce had something she wanted him to take care of, and they headed for the door together. I hope one of them remembers to come back for me," explained Illusion.  
"When he gets here, we need to talk," remarked Speed, as she started to fume.  
"Yes, and I'll talk to Dulcie," Sally said.  
Shortly, the captain returned, with, of course, his face all covered with Dulce's green lipstick, to upload Illusion to a hand unit for transfer to the airship's computer. When they arrived in Knothole, Dulce got her talking-to from Sally, and Shamus talked Speed out of beating him to a pulp, with, of course, the help of several new-found friends in Knothole holding her down. Arrangements were made for Speed to live with Shamus at his lab and weekly visits to Knothole until such became impractical near completion of Shamus' new starship, at which time Speed would return to Knothole and wait for word from Shamus.  
"I still can't decide which one I like more," remarked Shamus as he stood outside the airship with Sally and Illusion  
"That kind of decision is always tough," Sally reminded him.  
"What's to decide? Go for both. I would," commented Illusion.  
"I can't, Illusion. It wouldn't be right," explained Shamus.  
"I still don't see a tough decision. Please explain further," Illusion requested.  
"I'll get more in depth later, my friend, but for now, all I can say is one word: hormones. You don't know how lucky you are not te have them, Illusion," explained Shamus.  
"How true," remarked Sally.  
"You mean unlucky," said Illusion, as Speed ran up and boarded the airship. Illusion theh tried not to be obvious and followed her.  
"Well," sighed Shamus, "see you next week. And don't forget to tell Dulce that I miss her already."  
"Don't worry, I will," Sally assured him.  
Shamus smiled and boarded his airship. As the hatch closed, Sally thought to herself how she already missed Shamus herself, and he hadn't even left yet. And then she thought about the simple explanation Shamus had given Illusion about his feelings for the two lovely girls in his life and turned to go back into Knothole so that Shamus could get back to his lab.  
  
The End  
  
Another successful completion for Jesse Shearer. What do you think, friends? Hopefully, Shamus and Illusion will be back for more fun in "Midnight Star". Until that time, feel free to put these two in a story or two, just for fun. And speaking of fun, I hope you have as much reading "The Lab" as I did wrighting it. I'd say the "happy scenes" are by far my favorite parts. Please feel free to leave me an e-mail message or a note in one of the folders about your favorite parts (or your least favorite parts). Thank you for your time and concideration.  
Oh, and here's a dedication to my father, Bud, on who's birthday, February 12, 1996, I finished this story. He deserves that much, at least, on account of he's a good father, though he IS registered Democrat, and I'm registered Republican. HA, HA, I get to vote in a primary!!! Just kidding, Dad. Happy birthday, Old Man. I love you! And all of you fans, too! See you in Knothole sometime, I hope!  
--Jesse Shearer  
----JMShearer@aol.com  



	4. 

Midnight Star  
  
Prologue  
  
Ten years after his arrival on Mobius, Shamus O'Reiley has, almost by magic, completed his means of getting home: the Starship Midnight Star. Meanwhile, activity on Mobius has climaxed, for the final and utter defeat of Robotnik, in the Doomsday Project animated episode. Therefor, the focus will be on O'Reiley and his last adventure in Mobian territory. So begins the adventure of.....  
  
The Midnight Star  
  
"Bridge, the post-light core is safely online and ready for maximum post at your discretion," Illusion reported from the engine room of the Midnight Star, Captain Shamus O'Reiley's new, extremely large, ship.  
"Good, Illusion. Transfer yourself up here, and we'll get set to go," responded Shamus.  
Illusion appeared on the bridge with a magnetic hiss and took the navigator's seat, next to the helm, where Shamus was setting a test course.  
"Too bad the Freedom Fighters down there have to miss this. Our test course will take us out past the last planet about three hundred thousand kilometers and back to Mobius. Then we'll set a course for Earth at Post Factor Eight," explained Shamus.  
"Right," acknowledge Illusion.  
As the ship moved from it's polar orbit above the north pole of Mobius to a position near the equator, something showed up on sensors. At first, it appeared to be a probe from some alien world, watching the planet, though it shifted it's view the Midnight Star shortly after it arrived.  
"What a funny thing. I know it's a probe satellite, but I don't know who's it is," remarked Shamus.  
"Nor do I, Shamus. It seems to be scanning us now, instead of the planet," reported Illusion.  
"Let's return the favor," ordered Shamus. "It should be interesting to find out what happens."  
"It's raising it's shields and arming some sort of weapons. Also, it seems that there is humanoid, if not human, life on board," noted Illusion.  
"We'll do the same and hail them," said Shamus as he raised his shields and armed the ship's disrupters and torpedos.  
"Channel open," Illusion told Shamus.  
"Attention probe. This is Captain Shamus O'Reiley of the SS Midnight Star. Please drop your shields, disarm your weapons, and prepare to be boarded," Shamus commanded.  
"Shamus! How did you get here?" responded the man on the other end.  
"Jim? Jim Keating? Is it really you, old friend? I should ask you the same thing," responded Shamus.  
"Well," responded Keating, "it seems that over the years, through us independents, Earth formed a federation of worlds, or something, and they got in a war with another empire. I got recruited after the Garrison Gallan was destroyed in Sector Sierra, about two years ago. I've been here, monitoring this planet's conflict, ever since. And what's your story? Where have you and Patrick been for the past decade?"  
"I've been here, trying to get off this world. You see," explained Shamus, "ten years ago, Pat and I came across this world and wound up paying an unexpected visit. We met some inhabitants, showed them the Volroch, did a bit of repair work. Then we got attacked. The ship's bloody drive core overloaded, and, of the five of us that were on board at the time, only four got off; the three inhabitants and myself. Patrick was killed when the core breached and destroyed the ship."  
"Could you tell me what's been going on down there?" asked Keating.  
"Aye. Some freak is been trying to knock the global environment out of whack. Never could figure out why. All life that I've ever seen, with the exception of my friend here, needs a world like this one or Earth to survive," Shamus again explained.  
"Well, hey, why don't you introduce me to your friend," asked Keating.  
"Why not? Jim, this is Illusion the Holographic Lab Assistant. Illusion, Captain James Keating, SS Garrison Gallan," said Shamus.  
"Pleased to meet you, sir," said Illusion.  
"Same here. Are you a real holographic worker? I've never seen one, though I have heard of the concept," remarked Keating.  
"Yes, yes I am," answered Illusion, who shut off his image and then restored it.  
"Why don't you beam over and meet Illusion face to face, Jim?" asked Shamus.  
"Beam? As in transporter? Transporters were outlawed about five years ago when our 'opponents' in this 'war' discovered a way to disrupt the signals," explained Keating.  
"Well then, I'll do it from here. I might as well have someone else inspect the work, anyway," Shamus said.  
Within seconds, Keating was on the transporter stage on the far side of the Midnight Star's bridge. For the next several hours, Keating and Shamus toured the ship, looked at design plans, and just talked about old times. After a synthesized meal, Illusion managed to convince the two captains to go ahead with the engine test.  
"Well, I guess that's what you were gonna do if you hadn't come across me first," sighed Keating. "Mind if I come?"  
"Fine with me, Jim. What do you think, Illusion?" asked Shamus.  
"I'm sure Captain Keating needs a break from his post," Illusion answered. "What I want to know is where he'll be at during this test."  
"It's your ship, old friend," remarked Keating. "You deserve the 'Big Chair'. I'll take the helm. It looks like you were planning to pick up a crew in your travels."  
"Well, actually I was hoping the World Government back on Earth would accept a new freighter capstan with his own ship. It looks like I'll wind up commanding either a crew transport or a command ship now," commented Shamus.  
"That's a war for ye, I guess," Keating remarked.  
"We'd better get going, you two. The longer we wait here, the longer it'll take for us to get to Earth," warned Illusion. "I can't help but wonder if there are any pretty girls there."  
"You're right," said Shamus, as he took the captions chair and the other two took their places. "Helm, set a course out of the system, one quarter thrusters."  
"Course and speed set and engaged, Shamus. Next?" asked Keating.  
"Illusion, keep an eye on the engine core. Jim, keep increasing the speed by quarter powers until we reach post-light," ordered Shamus.  
"Certainly," responded Illusion.  
"Can do, old friend," Keating said.  
Within half an hour, the Midnight Star was at it's full sub-light speed and out of the Mobian system. Shortly, however, unexpected problems would arise.  
"Jim, take us to point five Post and increase it by half a factor until we can't go any faster. It should be at about Factor Eight," remarked Shamus.  
"What if the engine core overloads, Shamus?" asked Keating.  
"That may not be a problem. A ship just appeared in front of us, and it's reversing as fast as we're advancing," reported Illusion.  
"Oh great. We've got cloaking devices now," moaned Keating.  
"On screen, and bring us to all stop" ordered Shamus.  
"Aye, sir. All stop and on screen." responded Illusion.  
"Definitely human. It appears to be Tritoch Class, but I can't make out it's name or denomination. And where's it's registry code?" asked Shamus.  
"New design specifications. That information isn't printed on the hull like it was in our day, unfortunately. Wars; you know I hate 'em," remarked Keating  
"They're hailing," Illusion informed the two men.  
"Let's see it," ordered Shamus.  
"Attention unknown ship; this is Admiral Kevin Harrison of the Starship Bishop. You will hold your position and prepare for docking and boarding. You will also be fired upon if you do not respond to confirm your compliance," ordered the man on the other ship.  
"Bishop, this is Captain Shamus O'Reiley of the Starship Midnight Star. We read you, but docking would not be advisable as we do not have ship-to-ship docking apparatus. We could beam over your Admiral and First Officer," suggested Shamus.  
"Why should we believe that this isn't a trap?" asked Harrison, "After all, Earth is at war, right now."  
"Trust us," said Shamus.  
"I can't, simply because the person you claim to be was declared a casualty of war nine years ago. Prepare for attack, vile scum," remarked Harrison.  
"Raise shields, arm disrupters and prepare for attack," ordered Shamus.  
"Shields raised, disrupters armed," Illusion reported. "Their weapons are powering up, but I detect no shields."  
"I hope they don't cloak after firing," commented Shamus. "If they shoot at us, we're shooting back. Target their weapon systems."  
"Targeting weapons systems," responded Keating.  
"We're hit!" shouted Illusion, as the ship rocked violently. "Upper port nacelle, no damage. Shields holding at seventy-two percent."  
"Return fire!" exclaimed Shamus.  
"Firing," returned Keating.  
"Hit. Their weapons systems are offline...no, overloading. The entire ship's gonna...," reported Illusion, as the Bishop exploded and obliterated it's crew.  
"Let me guess. Blow," said Shamus, as he set his elbow on the arm of his chair , lowered his head into his hand, and began rubbing just above his eyebrows. "Three hundred people, just like that. That ship must have had a beacon on it. If Earth knows, we'll never make it home."  
"That's the least of your problems, Shamus," remarked Illusion, as he put something on the main viewscreen. "Here's another scary thought. Those two ships just dropped to sublight speed and have already armed weapons and shields."  
"Kelvetican ships? Hail them," requested Keating.  
"Channel open," responded Illusion.  
"This is Captain James Keating, first officer of the Starship Midnight Star. Kelvetican ships, why do you approach with armed defenses?" asked Keating.  
Shortly thereafter, an arachnid-like face appeared on the main viewer and hissed at the crew of the Midnight Star and closed the channel. After a few seconds, the ship was once again rocked with weapons fire.  
"Return fire!" ordered Shamus.  
"Firing all weapons," responded Keating.  
"Shields are at thirty-five percent of full," reported Illusion. "One more hit like that, and we're liable to take some damage!"  
Again, the ship shook with the fire of the aggressors' weapon. This time, there was only an act of desperation left for the Midnight Star and her crew: one last shot before transferring power from weapons and all nonvital systems and rerouting it to shields and Post-Light Drives.  
"Let's see how fast this thing really goes," commented Shamus.  
"Right!" shouted Keating, who engaged the Post-Light Drives and began calling out factor levels, finally calling out a surprising number. "Eight point five three and holding!"  
"We've lost them, guys. I'd advise shutting down the engines," said Illusion. "We're running short of the antimatter fuel. What we have left will barely get us back to Mobius, but won't last until Earth."  
"Shutting down engines," reported Keating, who was suddenly knocked down by a short in his control panel. Shamus was over him quickly, doing an examination with a hand unit.  
"Status of the engine core, Illusion?" Shamus asked.  
"Too hot to reengage right now, Shamus. What about him?" asked Illusion.  
"He'll live. Fortunately, he moved enough out of the way that only part of his face and one arm were damaged. If we bandage it and administer semi-dayly hyposprays of Regirin, he'll heal in no time," explained Shamus.  
Within six hours, Keating was bandaged and ready to go, and the Midnight Star was on it's way back to Mobius.  
Shortly, ship and crew were back in orbit of Mobius. Plans had to be made quickly for reenergizing the ship's engines. Shamus had, of course, prepared for such an event.  
"Illusion and I have a reserve of antimatter down there. That's why all the protected storage space. Fortunately, we can take in and produce enough matter as we go. Here's what we'll do. Jim, I want you to stay up here and keep an eye on things. I'm going to transfer Illusion to his hand unit and have you beam us down," said Shamus, as he began the transfer. "That is, assuming you can still operate a transporter."  
"Don't worry, Shamus. The technology in your transporter is used in modern food replicators. I haven't forgotten," Keating remarked.  
"Good. Transfer complete. Now, before I get too ready to go, I'd better set up the sensors to monitor for something that I'm afraid will happen," Shamus explained. "Jim, if any, and I mean any, movement is detected in these two energy signatures, notify me immediately."  
"Those signatures look familiar," commented Illusion.  
"Even though I don't recognize them, tell me why, Shamus," Keating requested.  
"I owe you that much, old friend. Those energy signatures belong to the Deep Power Stones, the keys to the most powerful force on this planet," explained Shamus.  
"That means whoever has both can win this war," Illusion said.  
"How so?" asked Keating.  
"It all depends on how you put them together," explained Illusion. "There are two ways. Put the jagged edges together, and bie-bie planet; put the smooth edges together, and the power can be tapped by quite a few people and not weaken."  
"Furthermore," said Shamus as he started transferring Illusion to a hand unit, " if that antimatter down there is set free before we have it, it's quite likely that it'll be curtains for both us and the solar system."  
"Well, then, get going!" exclaimed Keating.  
"Right. Illusion, end program," said Shamus as he stepped onto the transporter stage.  
"I hope you can get this done before anyone gets both of those rocks," remarked Keating.  
"I hope neither side gets both rocks," said Shamus. "Energize."  
When Shamus materialized at the storage site, he activated Illusion on the spot and began initializing the antimatter transfer. Within an hour, the transfer had begun. Unfortunately, so had Shamus's grim prediction.  
"Midnight Star to O'Reiley," Keating radioed to Shamus. "I've got some news you don't want to hear."  
"Then you'd better start talkin', Jim," responded Shamus.  
"A hedgehog, Shamus, he moves very fast, is heading for the location of one of those rocks. And I'm picking up the other one not too far away from the runner's location," reported Keating.  
"Sonic!" shouted Illusion. "The Freedom Fighters must have one half of the Power Stone, and Robitnik the other! If Sonic's going after that other half...."  
"How long?" asked Shamus  
"Half an hour, round trip," reported Keating.  
"No, NO!" yelled Shamus. "Not now, Freedom Fighters! I only need forty five more minutes!"  
"Mabey they'll debate how to use it," remarked Illusion.  
"How much debate can it take? There are only two ways to use those things, and I don't think those people want to go in for 'The Big Sleep' too badly," shouted Keating, nearly wrecking the communications system on the ship.  
"He's right, Illusion. We don't got much of a margin of error, if we even got one," said Shamus.  
"Then let's hope they save us for last. If my database is correct, if two people share the Power Stone, they won't need much more that fifteen minutes to do in the rest of the tech on the planet," explained Illusion.  
For the next half hour, the Midnight Star crew waited and prayed that they would be spared. Slowly, it got to be thirty-five minutes, then forty. At that point, Shamus looked out over the horizon and saw a blue and red streak whiz by at nearly five times the speed of sound.  
"What was that?" Shamus asked, quickly.  
"I believe it was Sonic the Hedgehog and Princess Sally Acorn, destroying the tech on this world," answered Illusion.  
"O'Reiley to Midnight Star," said Shamus, hitting the pin on his shirt. "How soon will that thing come by this way again, Jim?"  
"Two minutes, and we'll need another three on that transfer. For everyone's sake, I hope we're that lucky again," remarked Keating.  
"How come?" asked Shamus.  
"They missed," answered Keating.  
The two minutes seemed up almost instantly, and the strange flash went by again.  
Shamus just had co call up to the ship. "Let me guess, they missed again," he said.  
"No, they didn't miss this time," reported Keating. "They passed you by. And I have more good news, Shamus. The antimatter transfer is complete!"  
"Good!" shouted Shamus. "Illusion, save and end program! One to beam up!" Almost simultaneously, Illusion's program shut down and Shamus was beaming to his ship to go home.  
"That was too close, friend," said Keating.  
"How so?" asked Shamus as he went to restore Illusion to the mainframe of the computer.  
"Just as you rematerialized here, that phenomenon hit the antimatter storage tanks," explained Keating.  
"There's no way of cutting it any closer that than, Jim," responded Shamus. "Activate Illusion."  
When Illusion appeared, he was curious as to why he was using backup files.  
"It was a close beamout," explained Shamus. "The hand unit must have completely dematerialized before you could end your program. Before we back those files up, though, I think we ought to monitor the conclusion down there."  
Within five minutes, Sonic and Sally had ended the destruction on their world, returned to Knothole, and started a kiss that gave off so much radiant energy that it was impossible for the starship not to notice.  
"That's it?" asked Keating. "After all those years of fighting, that's it?"  
"Though for their sake I hope I'm wrong, I see a civil war coming up on Mobius. But, let's not stick around to find out," said Shamus.  
"What now?" asked Illusion.  
"Stations, you two," ordered Shamus.  
Both Illusion and Keating responded with an "Aye, sir" and took their places. Shamus then sat down in the captain's chair.  
"Here's something I've always wanted to do. Set course for home, Mr. Keating. Post Factor Eight point three," said Shamus.  
"Course and speed set, sir," responded Keating. "One thing before you say that 'e-word', though. Shamus, what's it like to actually be in command of your own ship? It's been so long, I think I've forgotten."  
"Jim, both of us know it's imposible to forget being in command," said Shamus. "But once I have some experiemce with a ship this big, I'll tell you."  
"Thought so. I'll call you Captain from now on, in hopes that some day, I'll have my own chance at another ship," said Keating. "Oh, and I'll take the rank of commander."  
"Thank you, Commander. Engage," ordered Captain Shamus O'Reiley. Within seconds, the Starship Midnight Star was streaking into it's biggest adventure ever: the crew's voyage home!  
  
The End  
  
This is the end of Shamus O'Reiley as a STH character and the beginning of Shamus O'Reiley as a spin-off of both STH and(most likely) Star Trek: Voyager. Although this may make it official, please use him as a STH character to fill in any gaps. Somehow, I can't help but feel sad that this will most likely be the last story with Shamus O'Reiley to ever be written. I' don't think there's any more of the poor bugger left in me, and I'm somehow sure my offer of use will be refused. Oh well, all good things must end, in time. I hope you had fun reading this little "trilogy", of sorts.  
--Jesse Shearer.  
----JMShearer@AOL.com  
  
One last question--how many of you would like a story about Keating and HIS ship? Anyone? Didn't think so.  



	5. 

Grand Redesign  
A "Midnight Star" story  
By Jesse M. Shearer  
  
References to "Sonic The Hedgehog" copyright SEGA of America; Archie Comics; and DIC Television.  
"Star Trek" related material copyright Viacom/Paramount Productions.  
  
Captain Shamus O'Reiley had been having a good day of fishing. But then, Lake Pactola, a man-made lake meant for waited distribution in the ancient Black Hills of South Dakota, always had been. Shamus was one short of a meal of fresh fish, not counting the one on his line, and he about had that one in. Just as he was about to reach for his last fish, the world went dark around Shamus, and the words "Vessel Approaching" began flashing in large red letters in front of his face.  
The same had happened to his two shipmates, James Keating and Illusion the Hologram. Keating, of course, was enjoying, and wining, another of his favorite races, the old Indiana Five Hundred. Illusion was running one of his Mobian subprograms to entertain himself.  
As the three took off their virtual reality gear, or in Illusion's case, reactivated themselves, they saw that the approaching ship was Emolian; a known friendly species that both humans had done business with. Before any of the crew of the Midnight Star could react, the Emolian ship hailed, which put the ship's commander on the Star's main view screen.  
"Midnight Star, this is the Emolian transport ship Vamoth. May we be of assistance?" asked the commander.  
"Vamoth, this is Shamus J. O'Reiley, commanding the Midnight Star," Shamus responded. "Could you verify our heading for the Terran system?"  
"Wait a minute," the commander of the other ship said. "O'Reiley? Shamus J. O'Reiley, of the Starship Pinochle?"  
"Yes, yes I am," said Shamus. "And, you're name, sir?"  
"Commander Arlem Velacho, Emolian Military, First Order," responded Arlem.  
"Well, Arlem! Good to see you again. Has it really been twenty years?" asked Shamus.  
"I'm afraid so," Arlem told him. "What kept you on your fiftieth birthday, old friend?"  
"I had a little accident on a planet about two dozen light-year from here about eleven years ago. I lost my my ship, the Volroch, and my brother. It took me ten years to build this ship, with the help of my friend here," explained Shamus, pointing at Illusion.  
"I'll get a shuttle and come on over!" exclaimed the Emolian, as he stood up to head for the Vamoth's shuttle bay.  
"No, wait," said Keating. "We'll just beam you over."  
"Beam? But I thought..." began Arlem.  
"Transporters were illegal on Terran Alliance ships?" Keating finished for him. "They are. It's just that Shamus didn't know when he was building this ship, and we haven't been back to Earth yet."  
"Who is this person? And how is it that you haven't made it back to Earth yet?" asked Arlem. "Your ship must be easily capable of Post Fifteen."  
"Once we've beamed you over, we'll explain everything," answered Illusion, finally getting a word in edgewise. When Arlem materialized on the bridge transporter stage, Shamus, Keating, and Illusion gave him the "grand tour", so to speak, and explained everything, such as why the Star couldn't go much past Post Eight, how the three had come to join forces, and many other things, one of which was the Volroch.  
As the four friends returned to the bridge of the Star, Arlem began asking questions about the Volroch. Shamus began explaining then and there.  
"Well, the Pinochle was in a shootout about two weeks after our last vacation together on Zandor Six. We were helping a Lemmonite freighter escape from some Kelveticans. Unfortunately," explained Shamus, "the drive core's containment system collapsed, and the ship exploded before Marcus could beam to the freighter with Pat and I. About six weeks later, we managed to pick up the Volroch, and that ship lasted us until our little mishap ten years ago, where Pat was killed."  
Shortly after the four friends returned to the bridge of the ship and finished the story, a message from the Vamoth's first officer came in. It seemed that a single Kelvetican warship had been picked up on the Vamoth's sensors, and Arlem had to return to duty.  
"Do the Kelveticans have the transport-disrupting weapon Jim told us about in engineering?" asked Shamus.  
"If they do, they're not in range yet, but they're closing fast," said Arlem, from a sensor station on the Star. "So, you'd better beam me back to the Vamoth now if you're gonna, because I'm not going to risk one of my shuttles."  
"Let's do it," said Shamus, as he and Arlem proceeded to the bridge transporter. Meanwhile, Keating opened a channel to the Vamoth and asked them to lower their shields for transport, to which they gladly complied. After the transport was complete, both ships raised their shields and armed weapons. Shamus, the natural trader that he was, opened a communications channel to the Kelveticans and asked their business. This, of course, only provoked the usual attack from the Kelveticans.  
Even though the odds were really not favorable towards the Kelveticans, with the Vamoth's battleship weaponry and the Midnight Star's defensive weapons working against them, they fought until the bitter end, when their ship was completely destroyed. Neither the Midnight Star or the Vamoth were salvageable as separate ships. Fortunately, Illusion, who had made himself known for novel ideas over the course of the years that Shamus had known him, had one that seemed the only good option.  
"What if we build the two ships into one?" asked Illusion.  
"Are you sure that's wise?" asked Arlem. "Most Emolian systems aren't compatible with Terran systems."  
"Actually, these are modified robotics from back home," said Illusion. "Besides, if it doesn't work, we're all dead anyway."  
"Good point," responded Arlem.  
Since the Midnight Star, though still too badly damaged to be salvaged as an individual ship, had fared better, it was used as the frame for what would later be renamed the Midnight Star/Vamoth. The weapons systems and Post Light drives from both ships were repaired and installed on the Midnight Star. Certain instruments from the Vamoth had to be saved at all costs, even if they were nonfunctional. These were placed in storage unless they worked or could be repaired and could replace the damaged ones on the Star.  
With the help of the surviving crew of the Vamoth, the work of combining the two ships was complete just under a month later, with the removal of any nonvital and nonfunctional equipment to the ship's main reversal reactor and it's replacement with the food stored on the Vamoth.  
"There are still some minor details to take care of," Arlem told his friends and crew. "First, a weapons test. Shamus, will you do the honors, by destroying the remains of the Vamoth?"  
"Certainly," answered Shamus, who had taken the spot at the new weapons console, as he put the broken-down ship on the main viewscreen and fired, destroying it in one shot.  
"I hadn't expected the disruptors to be that strong. This turn of events will keep us from testing the torpedo launchers, but we can sure move along to the engines," said Arlem.  
"Where to, our Emolian friend?" asked Keating, from the helm, located to one side of the weapons panel.  
"Emolia Prime. We'll have to register this boat sooner or later," Arlem told him.  
"Course set. Speed: Post Twenty-one," Keating responded.  
"Engage, Mr. Keating," ordered Arlem. Unfortunately, the ship didn't move.  
"What's wrong?" asked Arlem.  
"It's the transporters," answered Shamus. "They're interfering with the Post Field Emitter. We'll have to reconfigure one of them, and I don't think it's the engines."  
"Right," said Illusion. "We'll still need the transporters for a mode of ship-to-surface transport and such. The problem is finding a way to keep them legal."  
"What if we to find a way to use them as both safe transporters AND weapons?" asked Keating.  
"Good idea," remarked Arlem. "But how can we do that?"  
"I've got an idea for an add-on device, but we don't have the parts on board," said Illusion. "I'd suggest taking the transporters off-line until we can get to the nearest parts facility."  
"Already done," said Shamus. "Try engaging the engines again, Jim."  
"Course laid in," said Keating, "and engaging at Post Fifteen." This time, the ship did exactly as it was supposed to do.  
On the way to Emolia Prime, some small details were taken care of. The one that had the most discussion was what the Star/Vamoth's ship class would be. Keating was the only one to have an idea that would work.  
"Bismarck Class?" asked Shamus. "Are you serious? You really want to name an entire series of battle carriers after the Twentieth Century's most destructive battleship?"  
"I'm quite serious," Keating responded. "That is, unless anyone else has a better idea."  
Of course, none of the bridge crew did, because at that point, there were no other open class names for large destroyer ships like the Star.  
Another topic which sparked much debate was who exactly would be in command of the ship. Eventually, it was decided that Shamus would handle command of non-military missions, such as trade and civilian transport; while Arlem would handle the military side of things, including tactical situations and ship's defence. Shamus, of course would be in command for the majority of the time, as it was decided that the Star's primary objective would be as a peacekeeping vessel.  
Within a matter of hours, the Emolian star system had been reached, and shortly thereafter, Emolia Prime, where the Terran Embassy and the Emolian government were contacted. Several shuttlecraft were sent from the planet, carying the proper officials, who brought along the regeneration documents and toured the ships. Few seemed to notice the various transporter rooms and bays throughout the ship; those that did didn't seem to understand what they were seeing because of either age or the shock of being onboard the most advanced ship known to be operating in either the Terran Alliance or the Emolian Military Group. It wasn't until the tour group had reached the bridge and Illusion had begun explaining what supplies were needed and why that the Terran representative grasped what he had seen in the tour, and dug into the transporters.  
"This ship can't have functional quantum transport devices onboard if it's to be registered as Terran," the representative began.  
"We've changed the design completely, Mr. Representative," Illusion said. "You see, when we first brought the engines on-line, we couldn't go to Post because the transporters wouldn't allow a stable hyperspace field to form. In an effort to remedy the situation, the Emolian chief engineer and I have come up with a solution to that problem, creating a system that was also immune to the blocks and disruptions that the Kelveticans and their allies can cause, AND we have a third weapon type onboard that can effectively eliminate the shields on almost any known class of warship."  
"If that's the case, all of you will have to stay here while a group of specialists studies this new transport system of yours," the Emolian representative said. "Even though this is a time of war for both Earth and Emolia, and we need all the ships we can get, the study is required, and your transport system only complicates things."  
"During the testing, you'll have a legal skeleton crew," explained the Terran representative, "and afterwards, the four-shift crew will be sent up, by the quickest approved means, be it shuttlecraft or transporter."  
"How long will this testing take?" asked Shamus.  
"Approximately six weeks," the Emolian representative informed him.  
"As long as it doesn't go too much over that," said Shamus.  
Within a few hours, the researchers were aboard, scrutinizing every detail, from the general design plan to the presice thickness of the protective surfaces on the touchpads of the instrument panels. At the same time, Illusion, Keating, and Shamus got busy with the new quantum weapon generator. The test schedule indicated that the testing would be complete in five weeks, with one extra for the results to be sent to all the members of the TA and EMG; but that was barring any delays. Unfortunately, a major delay came up in the third week of testing; in the form of a distress signal from sector Beta Two, requesting that all ships able to fight gather in the Karto system.  
"That's the closest Kelvetica's ever gotten a fleet to Earth," Arlem informed his Terran friends.  
"Well, then, we'd better get going!" exclaimed Keating.  
"You can't take this ship anywhere yet!" exclaimed one of the researchers that had overheard the conversation. "We still need to finish our research!"  
"We have to defend our home," said Shamus. "Besides, you and you're friends are here to see how this ship works, and you won't get a better chance."  
"You're right," the researcher commented. "Let's get going!"  
Within an hour, the ship was in place and the crew had been fed. Unfortunately, it took the Star a few seconds to find the battle, which was still raging, on the other extreme of the system. What the crew saw startled them. The Terran ships in the battle were small and underequipped for battle.  
"Let's get in there and help them" said Keating, as he moved the ship into position to target a relatively large Kelvetican ship.  
"Quantum disruptor readied," Shamus informed his friends, and the researcher.  
"Disruptors and torpedos armed," Keating said.  
"Lower their shields, Shamus," ordered Arlem.  
"Their shields have failed," Shamus reported, seconds after he had activated the transporter's disruption sequence. The crew of the Kelvetican ship, needless to say, was so confused that they stopped firing on the smaller ships for a few seconds.  
"Fire all weapons now!" Shamus told Keating. Keating fired, and almost instantly, the Kelvetican ship was destroyed.  
"I've got a plan," said Shamus. "Let's see what happens when I set this thing to disable the shields on all the Kelvetican ships."  
The plan worked, thereby turning the tide more in the favor of the Terran shuttle fleet. After the last of the Kelvetican ships had been either destroyed or scared off, the commander of the Terran force contacted the Star.  
"So this is the new Bismarck class ship I've been hearing so much about," the commander said. "Will the two captains step forward?"  
Arlem and Shamus stepped forward and introduced themselves. Immediately afterwards, the fleet commander, who looked to be about Shamus's age, introduced himself also, as Admiral Raymond Lance, made a startling request: to be beamed aboard the ship to discuss the mission. Once he was aboard, the crew of the Star had it's own questions for Admiral Lance, who also had some questions. After the admiral's initial arrival and welcomes, he started right in on the questions.  
"Tell me, how was it that you made the shields fall on the Kelvetican ships?" Lance asked.  
"First, we redesigned the system so that it wouldn't interfere with the engines," explained Illusion. "While we were at it, the transporters were also made into a weapon and blockproof and disruption proof."  
"The process involves storing matter signals in the pattern buffers and inhancing them when directed into a shield system, thereby disabling it and causing the shields to collapse," continued Shamus. Upon the conclusion, Lance asked about Illusion, and when he got his explanation, was less interested in the actual explanation than everyone had expected. His reaction to the time and distance shocked them more.  
"Only a hundred and fifty light years in a year and a half? You should've been home by now if this ship can do Post Twenty-one!" exclaimed the admiral.  
"We couldn't make it past Post Eight point five for most of that time," explained Keating.  
"How's that?" asked Lance.  
"It's because the Midnight Star and the Vamoth were two separate ships for most of that time, also," Arlem told him.  
"Well, why are they together as one ship now?" the admiral once again asked.  
"We got attacked by a Kelvetican ship about a hundred and twenty-five light years from here, and we had to build them together to survive," Illusion explained. "It took us about a month to do."  
"Somehow, that makes sense," said Lance. "I'll have my crew contact Earth and have them explain what you've done; and to expect you in our return convoy. You'll most likely get hero's welcomes for your achievements, sirs."  
"What about our research?" asked the research commander, after remaining silent and taking notes since the initial trip to the battle site.  
"You can complete it at Earth. These three have to report there for debriefing along with the rest of the fighter crews," answered the admiral.  
"Oh. That means we can actually do all those tests and explorations that I want to do," the researcher said, happily. "I'll need at least a year, though."  
"It'll take us that long to tell of our experiences between here and Mobius, right, Illusion, Jim?" asked Shamus.  
"Yes, it will," answered Keating.  
"You got that strait," said Illusion.  
  
The End  
  
Epilog  
  
A year and a half passed during the testing and Shamus, Keating, and Illusion's debriefing. By that time, most every ship in the Terran Alliance had been equipped with the transport weapon system, Shamus and his three friends had become wealthy through their designing of the Bismarck class multi-purpose starship, and the Terran government had commissioned six to be built in as many years. The Midnight Star/Vamoth was once again just the Midnight Star, and Shamus was given command of his ship and a crew that would call him "Captain O'Reiley". Jim Keating and Illusion were sent along as Ship's Trade Representative and Holographic Starship Assistant, respectively. All three were ready for the new adventures that stood before them. And, they enjoyed the great many that they had.  
Arlem Velacho went on to command the first Bismarck class ship to be built at a propper shipyard, Englewood Three. This ship was a sister ship to the Midnight Star, and christend the Vamoth Two. The crew of the second transport ship Vamoth  
  
Author's Ending Message  
  
Thanks for taking the time to read this. As usual, I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to e-mail me and tell me what you think of the story. My e-mail address is: JMShearer@aol.com. It was interesting to write something like this, and I hope it was as interesting to read.  
--Jesse Shearer  
----JMShearer@aol.com  



	6. 

A Bite From Life  
A "Midnight Star"/"Sonic the Hedgehog" story by Jesse Shearer  
  
Star Trek related material and resemblances copyright Paramount.  
Sonic the Hedgehog material, characters, et cetera copyright Sega of America, DIC entertainment, Archie Comics, and their respective creators.  
Babylon Five resemblances copyright Warner Brothers.  
Solar Jetman video game resemblances copyright Rare Co.  
  
To begin with...  
The temporal factor for this story is approximately six months after the "official" launch of the Terran Alliance Starship (TAS) Midnight Star, the prototype for the Bismarck Class starship commanded by one of it's co-designers, Captain Shamus J. O'Reiley. These six months had been tough for the captain, and that was aside from the problems brought by all the fame and wealth his fame had brought him. He could have handled that if the researchers that had studied his ship for the better part of three years hadn't come close to disassembling his ship and then done a lousy job of putting it back together. On top of that, Shamus found that he was missing his Mobian friends. Perhaps this is what some of them called...  
  
A Bite from Life  
  
While he was thinking about all of this, Shamus was at a science station on the bridge, helping a young ensign understand how to use the ship's databanks, and noticing how his own eyes were going bad. But then, that was only natural for humans in their early sixties, and it didn't help the situation any that the researchers had replaced the original monitors with the smaller ones standard to TAS ships.  
"Does that help any?" Shamus asked his trainee.  
"Yes sir, it does," she said. "Thank you, sir."  
"Glad I could help," acknowledged Shamus, who then turned to see his friend and first officer Jim Keating enter the bridge.  
"Engineering reports that the dilithium matrix has destabilized again," Keating informed his friend. "I had them get going on fixing it."  
"Thank you," Shamus told his friend. "I'm going to my office to have a word with the head of fleet operations about this. You have the bridge, friend."  
"Right," Keating responded as his friend headed through a door just to the right of the bridge's transporter stage, the room's main feature.  
Just after the door closed, Shamus took a deep breath though his nose and let it out quickly. After doing so, he went to the replicator and ordered a hot cup of herbal tea and went across the room to his desk. Just as he sat down, a crew member on the bridge let him know that the Terran fleet's operations commander was in fact calling him.  
"In my office," Shamus said. A few seconds later, the small upright screen came on, showing the back of a large office chair that quickly turned around to reveal a familiar face.  
"Captain O'Reiley? Admiral Jenov here, the slightly younger man said. "Just checking in on you and your ship. How are things going?"  
"A wee bit worse than usual, sir," Shamus responded. "The dilithium matrix has destabilized for the third time in as many weeks; my crew isn't well trained; and most of the screens are too small to use."  
"We'll look into the crew and dilithium problems you've been having, Mr. O'Reiley," Jenov said. "In the meantime, I suggest that you have your vision checked and corrected if necessary."  
"With all due respect, sir," Shamus began, "I don't even have the proper bleedin' equipment for that on this ship."  
"That most certainly is a problem, Mr. O'Reiley," the admiral said, looking almost shocked. "If the condition of your ship is half as bad as you say it is, you should report to the nearest starbase. In your case that would be Starbase 132. I'll let the station commander know you're on your way."  
"Thank you, sir," Shamus said.  
"And while you're having your eyes checked, see what else you can have taken care of," Jenov said.  
"Yes, sir," Shamus again responded, and then closed the channel. He then went to the bridge and ordered the helmsman to set course for Starbase 132 at the highest speed possible, about one quarter impulse.  
"So Admiral Jenov is actually sending us to the best place in the Alliance to get fixed up. I never thought it would happen," Keating commented as soon as they were on their way.  
"You're right, Jim. This sure is something," said Shamus. "I get the feeling that there's some sort of catch, though. I wonder what Jenov's up to?"  
"Perhaps it's not just the admiral, sir," remarked the ensign Shamus had helped earlier. "I've monitored some strange messages lately."  
"Really?" asked Shamus. "What kind of messages were they?"  
"The latest is that three other new ships have been having the same kinds of problems we've been having, sir," the ensign reported.  
"Interesting," commented Keating. "We'll have to check it out when we get to Starbase 132."  
"That we will," said Shamus. "Ensign, what's your name?"  
"Elveron, sir," the young woman responded.  
"Ensign Elveron, I'm assigning you to check out those messages you just told me about," Shamus told her. "But find out as much as you can before we get there and report to me. When we get to the station, I'll assign help."  
"Yes, sir," Elveron said.  
Within a matter of hours, the ship and crew had arrived at the station, and, to the best of the captain's knowledge, the repairs had begun; as had Elveron's investigation. Within two hours, she was filling Shamus in on the goings-on within the Terran Alliance and the Extrastellar Fleet.  
"My informants had stranger news than the messages from the other ships, sir," Elveron told her captain. "Most of the people on the work crews said that the Star is the first job anyone's had in three weeks, just before all the messages about the fleet's disrepair began. Everyone is willing to work."  
"That's interesting," Shamus responded. "If they're all so ready to work, the crews should have been able to finish the needed work twice by now. Last time I checked, they had barely started."  
"That's not all, sir," the young Gemnian told Shamus. "Our supplies are stored in a cargo bay right next to where we docked, and they haven't been onloaded to the ship yet."  
"I'm going to the station commander's office to have a word with him about this. Keep up the good work, ensign," Shamus told Elveron, as he headed for the center of the station.  
"Yes sir," responded Elveron.  
Within a matter of minutes, Shamus had reached the station manager's office. The station manager had a lot to say when Shamus asked him about the delays with his ship.  
"I'm sure you do find the delays distressing, captain," he said. "It's only fair that you be filled in now. Headquarters knows all about the past fifteen years of your history, Mr. O'Reiley, and they've shared it with key personnel, one of which I am. The information was brought to light primarily by your destruction of the Starship Bishop."  
"How's that?" asked Shamus.  
"As I'm sure you had anticipated at the time, just before the ship's drive core breached, a downed ship beacon was launched," the station manager told Shamus. "Without that beacon, we would never have known about your having survived the Kelvetican War for so long. Nor would we have discovered a planet called Mobius. A month later, when the first shuttle landed, the landing party was accepted with open arms. Thanks to you, of course. Also, thanks to your carelessness in violating Rule One of the Alliance Code, the inhabitants had built a Post Light-capable starship who's core would have breached and destroyed the entire planet the second they tried to bring it on-line."  
"Look, commander, I know these people. In the ten years I lived with them, they proved to be a very intelligent race," Shamus explained. "I know it was sloppy work for me to leave so much technical data around for them to find. But what I saw of the Mobian population is that it was only a few years from PL technology anyway, if they hadn't been in a war. And, whether or not it shows, I tried to minimize my impact on them in every way I could. But that still doesn't explain the delays."  
"I'll be frank and make it brief," the station commander said. "The delays are in preparation for the arrival of a Gemnian ambassador to the planet Mobius. You are to transport her there, and when you arrive, your assignment will change to Terran ambassador to the same planet for the period of one year."  
"Who ordered that?" asked Shamus.  
"I did," said a familiar voice from behind the captain, who turned around, half startled.  
"Sally? How did you get here?" Shamus stuttered.  
"A transport ship designed by Rotor and build by your Alliance people. And I think you should know that I go by 'Your Majesty in public now. Nice to see you again, by the way, Shamus," she said.  
It's nice to see you again, too, Your Majesty," Shamus said, politely. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you arrive at your choice for Terran ambassador?"  
"I know you, Shamus," Sally answered. "You had one of the few believable diplomatic records, and the only one I really trusted. You'll have to tell me about Belram sometime."  
"Thank you, Your Majesty, I'm sure you'll enjoy that story," Shamus responded.  
"In the meantime, I'm going to wait for the Gemnian ambassador and escort her to your ship. You'd better get back there and oversee the work, captain. Dismissed," Sally said.  
When Shamus arrived on the bridge of the Midnight Star, Keating new almost immediately that there was bad news.  
"What's the word from the station?" asked Keating. "It can't be good."  
"It's not," said Shamus. "Remember that planet Illusion and I found you in orbit of? It seems I've been chosen the Terran ambassador to that world. And to make matters worse, we'll be taking the Gemnian ambassador and presumably the Mobian royalty, too."  
"The Gemnians I understand in space, but the Mobians? What's with that?" asked Keating.  
"It seems they found the original designs for this ship and modified them somehow," explained Shamus, "and now the Alliance has helped them actually build it. If they used pre-Bismarck Class technology and the hyperspace corrections I included with the designs, there's a large potential for big trouble."  
"How so?" asked Keating.  
"I'll need Illusion and direct access to the engineering computer to do a halfway decent job of explaining," answered Shamus. "I'll explain on the way."  
"OK," said Keating, who then signaled the operations officer to handle the bridge until the two higher-ranking officers returned. Along the way to the main engine room, Shamus explained that the Midnight Star had some problems with unstable particles, the most major of which was cronotons, in it's original design, and as such, needed an anticronoton particle emitter as a correction, which absolutely had to be replaced whenever it was removed. This meant that if the new ship from Mobius had been built with pre-Bismarck technology and had the corrections for the Midnight Star incorporated, anything could have been seriously altered, perhaps beyond repair.  
"So the drive core emits high levels of cronoton particles?" asked Keating. "I see how that could cause problems."  
"That's why we installed an anticronoton device and made absolutely sure it got replaced every time it got removed," explained Shamus. "Here's Illusion now. He'll be able to help us get more information."  
"What kind of information do you need, captain?" asked Illusion.  
"I have a feeling we'll be needing the schematics, specs, and original designs for this ship," Shamus told the hologram.  
"I'll do a compilation file for you when we're done here," said Illusion, "but that'll be awhile. By the way, what seems odd about you guys asking me for that information?"  
"Our old Mobian friends are here, I've been selected as the Terran ambassador to their world, and they've built their own ship," explained Shamus.  
"Here? As on this ship?" asked Illusion.  
"On the station, actually," answered Keating. "The suspicion is that their ship was build from parts build before the Terran fleet was upgraded."  
"What's worse," said Shamus, "they might have used the cronoton balancing correction we use to keep ourselves going."  
"If that's so, noone knows what kind of damage to time and space may have occurred," said Illusion. "Did you meet anyone from Mobius yet, and did they seem different?"  
"I ran into Sally in the station manager's office. She did seem more aggressive. But," noted Shamus, "that could be because they've won their war and they've never failed to succeed in their dealings to this point."  
"Bridge to Captain O'Reiley," the operations officer called over the communications system a second later. "Gemnian Ambassador T'Lem and Mobian Princess Sally are here, and are requesting to meet with you immediately."  
"On my way," responded Shamus, as he and Keating departed from engineering. When they reached the bridge, the ambassador and the princess were waiting at either side of the lift door.  
"We need to talk, Mr. O'Reiley," Sally told him as he stepped out of the lift.  
"In deed we do, Your Majesty," Shamus responded. "Jim, you have the bridge. Ambassador, Your Highness, my office is right this way." Just as they reached the doors to the captain's office, the communications officer informed them that there was an incoming hail from the transport ship "Knothole."  
"Your ship?" Shamus asked Sally.  
"That's right," she responded.  
"On screen," ordered Shamus. Sonic the Hedgehog's face appeared on the viewscreen, along with several other former Knothole Village dwellers.  
"The crew's getting restless, Sal. When does something happen?" the hedgehog asked.  
"Soon," answered Sally. "Just give me a chance to work."  
"They're certainly free to beam over here," offered Shamus. "That is, if Your Majesty has no objections."  
"After our meeting, captain. In fact, there's someone I was going to recommend you have over anyhow," Sally told him.  
"As you wish," both Sonic and Shamus responded in near unison, just before the channel with the Mobian ship closed. The captain and his two superiors then proceeded to his office for their meeting.  
"May I offer you anything to drink?" asked Shamus.  
"No, thank you," responded T'Lem  
"None for me," Sally told him. "Let's get our business out of the way first."  
"You do know what the duties of an ambassador for the Terran Alliance are, don't you, captain?" asked T'Lem.  
"I do, Madam Ambassador," Shamus responded.  
"Detail them," she requested.  
"In this case," began Shamus, "it is the duty of all Alliance ambassadors assigned to a world to not only represent their home worlds and the Alliance; but also to help the inhabitants of any world wishing to join understand the benefits and the consequences of joining the Alliance."  
"That is correct," T'Lem assured the captain. "Now, unless either Princess Sally or yourself has an objection, I would advise that we begin our journey to Mobius as soon as possible."  
"I have some crew members aboard my ship that wish to visit the captain," Sally explained. "It might be awhile before we get going."  
"As you wish," said the ambassador, who then left the captain's office and asked Keating to show her to her quarters.  
"Shamus, I have a question about my ship," Sally said after the door to the office had closed.  
"Ask away," Shamus responded.  
"We're having some trouble with high levels of anticronotons being emitted. What can we do about it?" she asked.  
"Well, Sally, all I can recommend is that you have the whole drive system dismantled and reconfigured immediately, especially if the problem is what I think it is," Shamus explained.  
"What do you think the problem is?" asked Sally.  
"I think your ship has been build with parts built for use before this ship had been studied enough for the upgrades to be recommended and implemented," the captain explained. "Therefore, there's no need for the anticronoton device that was worked into the drive system. If the problem is looked at now, there's a chance that no damage will have been done."  
"I'll consider it," Sally told her old friend. "In the meantime, there are some people on my ship that would like to see you."  
"No point in making them wait any longer," Shamus commented. "Contact your ship and have them prepare for transport."  
"Take the nearest transporter, sir," ordered Sally, as they headed for the bridge. When both had stepped up to the bridge transporter control, Sally called the Knothole and had the first group get ready for transport. Once the captain saw the party setup, he explained that he couldn't beam them all in at once as a matter of the transporter being just short of the needed power to do the job.  
"How can this be remedied?" asked Sally.  
"Have eight of them stand in a ring," Shamus told her. "That way I'll have an extra ten percent of the system's capacity to work with."  
"You heard him," Sally told the first group over the still-open communications channel.  
"Shoulda made the thing two percent stronger," mumbled Shamus.  
"What was that?" asked Sally.  
"Just thinking that I should have taken Illusion's advice and used a different plan when we redesigned the ship, Your Majesty" Shamus responded. "It would have made the transporters just strong enough to get all of them at once. But, anyway, it looks like they're ready. Energizing."  
When the transport cycle completed, Shamus saw Antione, Bunnie, Rotor, and Saphire "Speed" McSpike standing on the transporter stage, along with an aide for each. After the initial shock and the hellos, Sally reminded her captain friend that he had one person yet to bring aboard.  
"Oh yes, that's right," said Shamus. "This should be interesting."  
"Energize," ordered Sally.  
Shamus quickly complied, and was pleasantly surprised to see the center pad activate and Dulcy Dragon materialize on it. After having greeted the last of his old friends from Mobius and explaining the transporter, he offered the whole group a tour of the ship, to which they quickly agreed.  
"First off," began Shamus, "since we're on the bridge, what better place to start? You're probably all familiar with the transporter system by now. There are five standard personnel transporters on the ship, along with three escape transport systems per deck on each of the twenty decks and numerous cargo transporters in each cargo bay, one of which we'll see later. Off to the right is my office, communications, mission operations and the tactical station. Here on the left are the science and engineering stations. Up front are ship's operations and the helm. As most of my officers are taking a few hours of leave, the stations are currently being filled by lower-ranking crew members."  
"Is your first officer on board?" asked Speed.  
"As a matter of fact, he is," answered Shamus. "That's him in the center seat. Would you like to meet him?"  
"His name will do for now," answered Sally.  
"Captain James Keating," Keating responded when he realized that he was being asked about. "Just let me know if there's anything I can do."  
"You know, Jim, I just thought of something," said Shamus. "If there's going to be a tour, I'd better tell each individual department. Could you tell them about the uniforms?"  
"Certainly, certainly," answered Keating, as Shamus went to tell the departments that there would be some tours coming through. "First, the main colors. Light green, like what Shamus and I have, indicates command rank. There's also orange for operations and security, like what the fill-ins are wearing; yellow for medical officers; and light blue for organizational officers, which are primarily seen on member or prospective member planets and space stations.  
"The trim color indicates actual rank or position on ships, stations, and planets. The red, like on Shamus's uniform indicates the ship or station's commanding officer, usually an admiral, but more often a captain. Purple signifies second in command and commander; white is lieutenant commander; dark green for lieutenant; and beige for ensign. The black is just a filler color," concluded Keating.  
"But why all the uniforms, Mr. Keating?" asked Dulcy.  
"It's the formality," explained Keating. "A technicality for greeting and transporting dignitaries. Usually, transport an cargo ships like the Midnight Star have less formal dress codes."  
"But how do you tell one another apart?" asked one of the aides.  
"From what the captain tells me, pretty much the same way you used to," Keating answered. "Shamus and I know the department heads by name, they know their crewpeople the same way."  
"It is nice to be knowing this, sir, but we should be seeing the rest of the ship, also," Antione let the group know.  
"Good point," said Keating. "Shamus, you ready over there?"  
"Yes I am," answered Shamus. "If you'll all follow us, next stop: the mess hall."  
As they moved towards the door, Shamus noticed the look on Dulcy's face and remembered she was claustrophobic.  
"Oh, that's right," said Shamus. "Dulcy doesn't like tight spaces. I do apologize. I completely forgot."  
"That's alright. I understand," she answered.  
"I think I've got a solution for this," Shamus said. "How long do you think you could handle it in a lift if it were just the two of us?"  
"Not long," Dulcy answered, "but longer than if there were a big group with us."  
"OK, this should work," said Shamus. "Jim, you give the princess and the others their walking tour. I'll take Dulcy and give her a hologramatic tour in holodeck six."  
"We're on our way," Keating told his bunch. "Next stop the mess hall."  
As Keating's group left, Shamus took a moment to explain the transporter controls to Dulcy. When he finished, the large group was well ahead of them, so the captain and his friend headed out for the holodeck. On the way down, Shamus tried to comfort his nervous friend and had little success until he decided to let her in on a little secret.  
"Actually, I can understand how you must feel," said Shamus. "I'm a touch acrophobic."  
"Acrophobic? What's that?" asked Dulcy.  
"Fear of heights. That's why I usually try to avoid windows during flights over a planetary surface or when in orbit of something," explained Shamus. "I'd be grateful if you'd keep this from the others, at least for the time being."  
"Gladly," she responded.  
A moment later, the lift's doors opened and the two friends stepped into the hall and walked a few meters to the doors of the nearest holodeck, where Shamus called up the next best thing to an actual tour of the ship. When they entered, a simulation of the bridge was running, complete with representations of all the officers, including Shamus and Keating.  
"I thought that all your officers except for Commander Keating were off the ship," remarked Dulcy.  
"They are," Shamus said.  
"Then, how is this possible?" the dragon asked.  
"Computer, freeze program," ordered Shamus. When he did, almost all movement on the bridge stopped instantly.  
"Oh, I see," said Dulcy. "They're all holograms, like Illusion."  
"Exactly," said Shamus. "When we're done with the tour, perhaps you'd like to visit with our holographic friend."  
"That would be nice," she said. "But first, could you tell me the names of your officers?"  
"Most certainly," the captain began. "At security and tactical is Tactical Chief Maxive, from Lemonite; my science officer is Lieutenant Emery Joseph, from Earth; at ship's operations is Lieutenant Commander Maxive, also of Lemonite; at the helm is Ensign Deblos, of Zandor Prime. The chief engineer, head chef, and chief medical officer are in their respective departments."  
As the holotour continued, the friends passed from the bridge to the mess hall, then to Medbay and engineering, where they met the head chef, ship's surgeon, and chief engineer. When the holodeck session concluded, they proceded to return to the bridge via the same lift they had come down on. About halfway to the bridge, Shamus noticed that his friend looked like she was about to pass out.  
"Think you can make it?" the human asked.  
"I'm getting really dizzy, Shamus," Dulcy responded as she reached out to balance herself with one arm and put the other to her forehead.  
"We're just about there," Shamus told her. A second later, the dragon fell unconscious. Shamus immediately stopped the lift and let the medical bay know what was going on. The staff person he got ahoy of said that he would contact the doctor if the captain would bring his friend to Medbay. Half an hour later, the doctor was giving Shamus her report.  
"It would appear that your friend simply passed out from stresses related to a phobia of some sort," the doctor told him. "Is she claustrophobic?"  
"As a matter of fact, yes," Shamus answered. "Has been the whole time I've known her. But I've seen you give me that look, doctor. We've got trouble coming down the line, don't we?"  
"Unfortunately, yes," the doctor responded. "It's no surprise that your friend in there has a radically different genetic structure than most other life forms we deal with in the Alliance. The surprising thing is that she appears to be a product of genetic engineering. And to make matters worse, it looks like the Kelveticans are somehow responsible."  
"What?" asked Shamus. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes," the doctor responded. "But most of the life forms native to her planet haven't been studied too heavily, primarily due to their verified sentience. It is entirely possible for this just to be natural for the Mobian dragon."  
"You're right, doctor," said Shamus. "It's a possibility, and a disturbing one at that."  
"At any rate, she came to a few minutes after you got her here. I'd recommend letting her rest for the time being," the doctor informed Shamus.  
"We'll follow it," he said. "I'll go inform the Knothole."  
"That won't be necessary, captain," Sally told them as she stepped into Medbay.  
"How long have you been out there?" asked Shamus.  
"I just got here," she answered. "We had just finished the tour of your ship when the person you left in charge of the bridge informed us of this incident. And I would encourage you to try to remember that this isn't like the last time we worked together."  
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," said Shamus. "It's just that Doctor Greene here has informed me that there may be a remote possibility that the Kelvetican Empire may be involved in recent events somehow."  
"How so?" asked the princess.  
"Let me explain, Your Highness," Greene began. "It's standard procedure to do a genetic scan of all patients to search for a possible viral infection. Miss Dragon's genetic structure closely resembles that of most known Kelvetican biomechaical devices. But, as I explained to the captain, there's also a good chance that what I found occurs naturally in Mobian dragons. Because we know so little about your various peoples, it's hard to say for sure."  
As Greene concluded, Dulcy came in, looking as though she had just barely recovered enough to walk. The dragon looked at the threesome and then drew a breath, as if she was preparing to speak.  
"I'm ready to go now, Ma," Dulcy said, half directing it at the doctor.  
"She seems alright, at least as compared to the observations I made last time I was on Mobius," said Shamus. "Doctor?"  
"We can safely beam her back to the Knothole at this point," the doctor said, "but I'd like to keep her here for further observation. That is, if Your Highness has no objections."  
"No objections, but I'd better get back to my ship," Sally said. "We're expected at Mobius in a few hours."  
"Which means that we'd both better get going, Your Majesty," said Shamus. "There's a transporter room just before the direct lift to the bridge. I can beam you out from there, if you'd like."  
"Please," she said. The captain and the princess proceeded to the transporter room where Shamus beamed her back to the Knothole and then proceeded to the bridge to recall his senior staff from Starbase 132 for departure to Mobius as both the escort ship to the Royal Mobian Ship Knothole and the official transport ship of Gemnian Ambassador T'Lem. The first few hours proceeded uneventfully. But four hours out, things began to go seriously wrong.  
"Captain, two Kelvetican warships are approaching from vector 70 marks 4 and 6," Tactical Chief Movram reported. "Standard battle formation."  
"Ops, inform the Knothole and then tell Starbase 132 that we need backup and we need it NOW!" ordered Shamus.  
"Aye, sir," responded Maxive.  
"Tactical, arm all weapons and prepare to fire," ordered Shamus.  
  
  
The End of "A Bite From Life"  
  
To be continued in "A bit of Bobbery," also by Jesse Shearer.  



	7. 

A Bit of Bobbery  
By Jesse Shearer  
  
Star Trek related material copyright Paramount and/or Viacom.  
Sonic the Hedgehog related material, characters, et al copyright SEGA, DIC Entertainment, and Archie Comics.  
Babylon Five related material copyright Warner Brothers and Turner Entertainment.  
  
Author's Note  
This story is intended to be a continuation of "A Bite From Life" by Jesse Shearer; in other words, me. The title comes from a word I once saw on a dictionary calendar someone gave a friend for Christmas in 1997. For the purposes of this story, the phrase given in the definition has been slightly altered to make it more memorable. If, of course, that's at all possible.  
  
This story picks up at the exact point where "A Bite From Life" left off.  
  
A Bit of Bobbery  
  
"Weapons armed and standing by; shields raised at one hundred percent power," Movram responded to Shamus's order.  
"No response from the Knothole, sir," Maxive reported.  
"What about the starbase?" asked Keating.  
"They can't be reached, commander," Maxive explained. "There's too much interference of some sort."  
"That's not good," said Shamus.  
"Illusion here, captain," the hologram said over ship's communications. "We're having some sort of engine trouble. Things are going on and off-line like mad down here. We won't be able to run if we have to."  
"That's worse," said Keating.  
"Now the Kelveticans are hailing us," Maxive informed his superiors.  
"Communications?" asked Shamus.  
"Confirmed, sir," the communications officer informed him. "It's the Kelveticans."  
"What next?" muttered Shamus. "On screen. Let's hear them out."  
"Attention TAS Midnight Star. I am Prefect Imcheval of the Kelvetican Empire. You have some of our property onboard your ship. We demand that you return it immediately."  
*Oh Powers That Be, please don't mean what I think he means* thought Shamus as he tried to come up with a way to stall for enough time to get Dulcy off the ship.  
"Don't make me say it again, captain," the prefect growled.  
"I'm not so sure that we do have any of your property, prefect," Shamus responded. "I've had some awfully strange injuries occurring over here lately that could possibly have been caused by this 'property' of yours. I could check with my ship's medical staff to see if they've found it, if you'd like?"  
"Do so now," Imcheval ordered.  
"The intraship communications system's been on the fritz lately, Shamus said, hinting to his communications officer and trying to fool the Kelveticans at the same time. I'll have to go to Medbay and see them in person.  
"I don't believe that," Imcheval said, not quite fooled. Fortunately, the communications officer got the hint and informed the medical staff of what was going on. When Shamus contacted Medbay, all he got back was static.  
"Like I said, I'll need to see them in person," Shamus told the Kelvetican. "If you could describe your belongings to me and give me time to search the ship..."  
"All right!" roared the frustrated prefect. "What you have is, by your measurements, three meters tall by six long by one wide. You have one standard Alliance hour. If you don't find it by then, we destroy your ship."  
"I'll do what I can," said Shamus. "Midnight Star out."  
"What now?" asked Keating.  
"Well, you heard the man. We have an hour, so I'm going down to Medbay to check on things there, explained Shamus. "Meanwhile, you and Movram prepare the ship for evacuation. We may wind up loosing the ship."  
"You don't mean..." Keating half gasped.  
"It may be the only way," Shamus said, as the lift doors closed in front of him.  
*Oh bloody... How did word of this get out? This could cost me everything...* thought Shamus as his lift moved towards Medbay. Doctor Greene was waiting for him when he got there.  
"I heard everything, captain," she said. "What's your plan?"  
"First I'm going to ask you for your thoughts," said Shamus. "Then, I'm going to go ask our dragon friend."  
"She can choose between breathing fire and breathing ice, her lung capacity and strength suggests the ability to blow down large objects at a distance of fifty meters, and she claims to be able to do any of it while flying," the doctor explained. "But Dulcy's a sentient being and we both know it. It wouldn't be right to force her to do something against her will."  
"No it wouldn't," said Shamus. "I'm hoping she won't want to go."  
"You know you have to ask. She's in the examination area," Greene said.  
"Right. Thanks," said Shamus as he turned to head back to talk to his old friend. Things had an erie feel to them when he got there and started asking questions.  
"Dulcy," he asked, "do you understand what's going on ?"  
"I... I think so...," she answered.  
"It would appear that we have a problem, and you're at the center of it right now," Shamus explained. "The Kelveticans have us outnumbered two to one and are threatening to destroy the ship if you're not turned over in just less than an hour. If you go to them, they may very well blow us out of space anyway and use you for, well, none of us can bloody well say what, too."  
"So most of us loose either way?" asked Dulcy. "I won't go!"  
"You know, I was fairly sure you'd say that," Shamus responded. "Hoping, too, in a way. But I want you to take a little time to think about this. Make it quick, though. An hour isn't long."  
"I'm not going with them, and that's final!" exclaimed Dulcy.  
"Are you absolutely sure of that?" asked Shamus.  
"Absolutely," she responded.  
"Well, OK," said Shamus. "I'll go to the bridge and prepare the ship for what's next."  
"What's that?" asked Dr. Greene, who had just stepped in to check on her guests.  
"We may have to blow the ship if we can't run," the captain explained. "It'll be the only way to minimize the losses if there will be any. Get the patient to shuttle deck four and take the largest one there. When I give the signal, set course for Mobius at maximum Post, and don't let down the shields untill you've heard from me."  
"Aye, sir," complied the doctor as Shamus turned to leave.  
"I can do this...," he mumbled on his way out.  
"What was he talking about?" the doctor asked after the doors had closed.  
"I have no idea, but we'd better get going," Dulcy responded.  
When Shamus got to the bridge, he contacted Imcheval and told him a faked story so that the launching shuttle would seem less like it really was. Naturally, the prefect was angry almost beyond reason.  
"How could you let this happen?" Imcheval asked.  
"Well, it's like I said," Shamus began for the second time, "When I got to Medbay, the place was in a shambles. This 'property' of yours appeared to have done it while kidnapping the ship's chief medical officer. I got knocked down as soon as I entered, but was not injured. The last I saw of my doctor or our little fugitive, they were headed for one of the shuttle decks."  
"I almost believe that, captain. Too bad you're not hurt," Imcheval said, sounding half disheartened.  
"Yes, too bad," Shamus agreed, as sarcastically as he could. At that point, the prefect began going on about how an injury could be arranged for the captain, and also for most, if not all, of his crew. Meanwhile, Shamus went to his chair on the bridge and signaled for the doctor to launch the shuttle and depart.  
"And as you may also know..." Imcheval began.  
"Oh Good Lord!" Shamus interrupted. "They're launching!"  
"Target that shuttle!" the prefect ordered his crew.  
"You fire on any ship in my area and you risk having a war on your hands. If my sources are correct, the Empire can't afford that right now," Shamus informed his counterpart. The Kelvetican just growled and ordered his ships to leave.  
"Now that was strange," Keating remarked. "That's the first time I've seen a Kelvetican back down from a chance to fight."  
"I know. Same here," Shamus agreed. "Communications, contact the base. We'd better get looking for the Knothole, too."  
Starbase 132 reports having monitored the whole thing despite being unable to contact us," the communications officer reported.  
"The Knothole has reappeared on sensors and appears to be on course for Mobius," Movram informed Shamus. "They are about nine lightyears ahead of us and traveling at PL eleven."  
"And the shuttle?" asked Shamus.  
"Out of sensor range. Latest data indicates that they were on course and traveling at PL eighteen on a similar course to the Knothole."  
"Illusion, engines?" Shamus asked his engine crew by way of the restored intraship speakers.  
"Working normally, but I wouldn't recommend going over PL fifteen for the time being," Illusion reported back.  
"Thanks," Shamus told his friend. "Helm, plot for intercept of the Knothole, PL twelve."  
"Course and speed set, sir," Maxive responded a few seconds later.  
"Engage," ordered Shamus. The trip proceeded normally under the circumstances. When the Midnight Star caught the Knothole, Sonic made contact and explained what had happened.  
"If this Nagus fellow escaped your `Zone of Silence,' where is her Majesty, and when was she taken?" asked Shamus.  
"I think she was taken when we vanished off your sensors," Sonic said. "From what Nagus said, it sounded like Sally was in the Void, and he made some sort of reference to that teleportation device the Alliance uses."  
"What exactly did he say?" asked Keating.  
"He got us so confused nobody can remember," Sonic responded. As he did, Shamus stepped over to a control panel.  
"I see," Shamus said. "I'm assuming that your ship has the same emergency sensor setup as most Alliance ships."  
"Good," said the captain, as he entered a few commands into the ship's computer. "Look for the file containing the most recent emergency scanner records. I'm sending you instructions to upload it to our computers."  
"Sure," Sonic said, as he did a quick search for the file, "but I don't know what good it'll do you."  
"It'll be nice to know what he said, at least," Shamus responded. "Looks like the file transfer's complete on this end. I'd advise continuing on course to Mobius at maximum Post."  
"Right," Sonic said. "Knothole out."  
A few seconds later, as the Mobian ship increased it's speed, Illusion called the bridge and informed the ship and crew that the engines were confirmed safe to their maximum capacity. Shortly thereafter, the Star was on it's way, too.  
Upon arrival, there was a big celebration, presented in true Mobian fashion and held in the main square of Mobitropolis. The next day, after a few hours of rest, the remains of the all-night party were cleaned up and the palace courtyard was set up for speeches to be made by the various delegates. During the hours that the previous day's arrivals were at rest, the representatives from the Zandorian and Lemonite systems had arrived and were demanding to see the other two ambassadors for the Alliance. Shamus was the one contacted, as T'Lem was nowhere to be found.  
"So, who is it that I'm going to see, again?" Shamus asked the young fox that was escorting him to the room where all four ambassadors were to meet.  
"The representatives from Lemonite and Zandor, I think," the fox responded. "If I recall correctly, their names are Mokino and Relkinor, respectively."  
"Anything else I need to know before I meet these two?" asked Shamus.  
"Not that I'm aware of," the escort told him. "Is there any other way I can help?"  
"Well, Earth hasn't assigned me a staff yet, and I may need an assistant during the meeting," Shamus responded. "If the others have staffers with them, I'd gladly have you there to help."  
"I would be honored, Ambassador," the fox said. "My name is Raymond White Paws, but, please call me Ray, sir."  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ray," Shamus said, "and let's not use formal titles unless it's actually necessary. I'm still used to people calling me `Shamus' in general conversation."  
"As you wish," Ray answered. "Here's the place. We may as well see if the others are ready to start."  
Relkenor and Mokino were already seated at the center table with their aides standing next to them in the traditional places for their respective races; to the right for Zandorians and to the left for Lemonites. T'Lem had yet to arrive.  
"Ambassadors Relkenor and Mokino?" asked Shamus. "I'm Shamus O'Reiley, representing Earth. This man, Raymond White Paws, will be assisting me until Earth sends my staff, possibly longer."  
"Relkenor, of Zandor," the Zandorian said. "This is my aide, Orlino."  
"Mokino, Second House of Lemonite," the second representative said. "My aide is called Kavlat."  
"Has anyone seen or heard from Ambassador T'Lem?" asked Shamus. "I haven't seen her since we beamed down last night."  
"Which only confirms my concerns," Relkinor said.  
"If she hasn't shown in five minutes, I'll go and check on her," Shamus told his counterparts. "Meanwhile, would you care to tell me about your concerns, sir?"  
"The two issues that bring me the most distress at this time are the Kelveticans and this person claiming to be a wizard, Nagus, I believe his name was," Relkinor said. "The Kelveticans provide a longer lasting problem, and as such, should be discussed in full council, with at least one full representative of each of the Alliance members and also this world. Therefore, it would be wise to discuss the matter of this perported wizard at this time."  
"You think he has T'Lem, don't you?" asked Shamus. "To be honest, I'm not really sure what to think. T'Lem seemed more impersonable than most Gemnians when I met her, to tell the truth; and I've only heard of two appearances of Nagus since I made contact with these people, and the last time, he wanted to get his hands on Alliance technology."  
"What better reason to abduct an ambassador?" commented Mokino.  
"I don't understand," Ray said. "Why not the princess or His Majesty the King, instead?"  
"Actually," Shamus answered, "he already has Her Majesty. Didn't Prince Hedgehog make an announcement? He was there when it supposedly happened."  
"This isn't good," Relkinor said. "If the heir to the throne has been captured and temporarily replaced, then chances are, the king doesn't know."  
"That's for sure. Is King Acorn in?" Shamus asked Ray.  
"Yes, but he's..." answered the fox.  
"It doesn't matter what he's doing!" Shamus exclaimed. "We have to let him know that trouble's on the way. Take us to him!"  
The young fox complied and took the ambassadors to the king's chambers. King Acorn was naturally not pleased to be disturbed while he was working, and even less so to hear that both members of the future royalty had been kidnapped. Almost as naturally, the tensions were reduced somewhat when one of the ambassadors said that one of their own had also been taken. With little discussion, an arrest order was issued for Sonic the Hedgehog, to be delivered by the king himself.  
Afterward, the three ambassadors and Ray headed back to the meeting room. Not one of them was particularly happy about what they had just done, and Ray felt the need to talk about it.  
"I hope they don't find him," he said. "That would be terrible for all our sake."  
"Actually," said Shamus, "we had better hope they do find him and that it's not the real Sonic. If what I'm lead to believe is true, then we can't have Nagus running around pretending to be Sonic until he winds up sharing the throne with the true heir. That really would be bad for all of us."  
"But what if you're wrong?" asked Ray. "What then?"  
"Then the three of us have just lost the first new Alliance member in eighty years and thrown away our careers, and yours, too," said Mokino.  
Within an hour, the search had ended with the capture of what turned out to be the real, if not dazed, Sonic. Amongst the items found in his pack was a set of instructions for retrieval of the princess. The Midnight Star, which had yet to be ordered to a new destination, was still in orbit. With little discussion from anyone involved, Shamus was selected to return to his ship and attempt the procedure described in the instructions found in Sonic's pack.  
Once back aboard, Shamus called a few key members of his old staff and discussed what was to be done and how they would pull it off.  
"A genetic lock?" asked Illusion. "Is it possible to beam someone up by locking onto their genes?"  
"We'll most certainly find out," responded Shamus, "and it looks like we'll be doing it the hard way."  
  
  
The End  
  
  
End Note  
This is the second of a three story arc, continuing from "A Bite from Life," and to be continued in a story to be titled at some point in the future, as I have yet to come up with one as of the date I completed this installment(1/2/99). I hope you enjoy reading this installment, and I hope you'll be patient with me while I work on the third.  
--Jesse Shearer  
----JMShearer@aol.com  
  



	8. 

A Time of Positives  
By Jesse Shearer  
  
Star Trek related material copyright Paramount and/or Viacom  
Sonic the Hedgheom related material, characters, et al copyright SEGA, DIC Entertainment, and Archie Comics  
Babylon Five/Crusade related material copyright Warner Brothers and Turner Entertainment.  
  
Author's Note  
  
"A Time of Positives" is the end of a three-story arc started in 1997 or 1998 with "A Bite From Life," and continued with "A Bit of Bobbery." Granted, it's been a long time coming, but I've been busy the past year or so, and haven't had much time to write. I hope this lives at least partly up to its potential.  
The story picks up at the end of "A Bit of Bobbery."  
  
A Time of Positives  
  
"The information we got from Sonic says Nagus will be opening a vortex shortly," said Keating, as he looked at the message being displayed on a monitor near the bridge transporter. "It should be at the coordinates I'm sending th the transporter controls now."  
"They appear to be for a deserted island in the East Mobius Sea," Illusion reported. "At least they're for dry land on the planet."  
"That's good," said Shamus. "Get Dr. Greene up here. We may need some quick medical help."  
"Right," said Illusion, as he hit the call button for Medbay. "This beamout looks like a two-person procecure. I'll assist whoever is willing to risk it."  
"I'd better be the one to do it, on account of rank," Shamus volunteered. Just then, Dr. Green arrived on the bridge.  
"What can I do for you, Shamus? Ambassador, that is," she asked.  
"We're going to be doing a risky beamout shortly," Shamus explained. "There may be severe injuries."  
"Medical emergency?" the doctor asked.  
"We hope not," said Illusion.  
"The vortex is opening!" Keating exclaimed.  
"Directing all streams toward the center of the opening," Illusion informed Shamus and Keating. "I'll have to maintian them manually."  
"Keep it steady," said the ambassador. "Scanning for the princess ... locked on and prepairing to energise."  
"The imaging buffer just slipped! Reestablishing," Illusion said.  
"Make it quick! I can't hold this lock for long!" shouted Shamus.  
"Got it!" the hologram exclaimed a second later. "Go!"  
"Energising," said Shamus. The procedure took about five times as long as a normal transport and was touch and go for most of the time. When Sally finally rematerialized on the transport pad, she fell to her knees and the doctor was on the pad almost instantly, scanning the princess and preforming other simple tests.  
"She's alive, Ambassador! And apparently completely unharmed!" Greene said, sounding supprised.  
"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" asked Shamus.  
"I think so," she responded. "What happened?"  
"From the sounds of things, that Nagus fellow captured you off the Knothole and kept you in the Void for just over a day," explained Shamus. "He had Sonic for awhile, too, but when we got him back, he had instructions on how to get you back."  
"How?" asked Sally.  
"It's complex," Illusion said. For now, it would be best if Your Magesty allowed us to take you to Medbay for an examination."  
"Good idea," Sally responded. As she stood up, she realized there was something in the pocket of her vest, and she removed it and handed it to the ambassador.  
"Another data chip? I hope this is for Ambassador T'Lem," said Shamus as he examined the item in his hand.  
"We'd better find out. We may not have much time to work with," Keating said.  
"I'd better get my patient down to Medbay," Greene said, and escorted the princess out of the room. Meanwhile, the portal into the Void had closed, giving the crew aboard the Midnight Star a chance to study the data chip and make plans.  
The data chip held the information for Ambassador T'Lem, as Shamus had hoped, and also for King Acorn and Nagus himself. The time allowed was enough for all three to be taken out one at a time.  
"Our priority is the ambassador first, then the king, then Nagus, if we get a chance," Shamus said.  
"I agree," Keating responded.  
"As do I," Illusion said.  
Meanwhile, Dr. Greene was coing to the conclusion of her work in Medbay, having come to several important discoveries and conclusions. The primary was that Sally was in perfect health after her experience. The most major, however, was that while life on Mobius bore a striking genetic resemblance to Kelvetican biological experiments, it had arizen naturally. As such, the Alliance could legally defend the planet should the Kelveticans attack, and the doctor rushed the information to the bridge personally. Just as she arrived, Shamus was about to call.  
"Ah. Just in time, Doctor, I was about to call you," Shamus said. "The Void opens again soon, and we're going to get a chance to take at least two people out this time."  
"Who are they?" Greene asked.  
"Ambassador T'Lem and King Acorn, in that order, for sure," Shamus told her, "and mabey that Nagus fellow, too. Somehow, I have a feeling we'll run into trouble, though."  
"How so?" asked Keating.  
"I was just coming to tell you about something like that," Greene said. "From my examination of Her Majesty, I discovered that life on Mobius is natural in spite of its resemblance to Kelvetican bioengeneering. We can legally defend the planet if they attack."  
"That's good to know," said Shamus. "At least now we know that we do have a defense for retaliation if they show up. That's what's been bothering me all this time."  
Just then, the Void opened and Shamus and Illusion rushed to the transporter conrtolls to begin retreiving the ambassador and the king. Unfortunately, other problems developed that hadn't the first time.  
"Streams alligned!" shouted Illusion.  
"Locking onto first target and energizing!" Shamus reported.  
"Ambassador, Captain! We've got a problem," Maxive called from the tactical station. "Preliminary scans show that four ships just entered the system; two Kelvetican, two Terran."  
"Any class ident?" asked Keating.  
"The Kelvetican ships are Chahalix class fighters and the Terran ships are Bismarcks, the Sol and the Enterprize."  
"We've got T'Lem!" reported Shamus. "Can we make it quicker with the king?"  
"No," Illusion told him. "We've got this going as quick as we can!"  
"How long can our ships hold off the Kelveticans?" asked Keating.  
"About five minutes," Maxive responded.  
"Then let's not waste it," said Shamus. "Get those sensor streams alligned, Illusion."  
"Ready and waiting," Illusion responded.  
"Locking on and energizing!" Shamus called.  
"The Kelveticans have broken through," Maxive reported. "Here they come!"  
"Just a few more seconds...," Shamus muttered.  
"They're here in ten," Keating responded.  
"Got him!" Shamus shouted. "Shields up, arm all weapons and target the opening with torpedos!"  
"What are you doing?" King Acorn asked, excitedly.  
"If this works right, we can take out both those Kelvetican ships and Nagus with one shot. Brace youselvs. Helm, prepare to go hard aport on my signal," ordered Shamus.  
"Aye, sir," the helm officer responded.  
"Contact the Terran ships, tell them to spread away from the Kelveticans," Keating ordered.  
"Done!" the communications officer reported.  
"Kelvetican ships in disruptor range," Maxive reported.  
"Wait for them to line up with us..." Shamus said.  
"In line...NOW!" Maxive said.  
"Fire torpedo!" ordered Shamus. "Hard aport!"  
As the torpedo went through the entrance to the Void, it exploded, causing a massive energy burst out of the Void proper which destroyed the Kelvetican ships and deenergized the Void, causing it to cease to exsist and taking Nagus with it. Within seconds, the bridge viewscreen came on to reveal the face of a Lemonite captain.  
"Kolshem, TAS Sol. Who's idea was that energy burst and how was it done?" the man asked.  
"It was my idea, sir," Shamus said. "What we did was fire a torpedo into a region of hyperspace that the inhabitants of Mobius could access. I'm afraid it totally deenergized that particular region of hyperspace, but it certainly was effective."  
"Yes, it most certainly was, Ambassador," Kolshem said. "That move saved the Alliance months of repair time and hundreds of thousands of credits. What more can you tell us about this region of hyperspace you accessed?"  
"Nothing, untill the rulers of the planet allow it," Shamus informed him.  
"I will begin clearing the information as soon as I can," King Acorn said.  
"Thank you, Your Majesty, we would appreciate it," Shamus responded.  
"Thank you, sir, Highness," Kolshem said. "Sol out."  
"Now, with Your Majesty's permission, we had best get you and Ambassador T'Lem to Medbay for an examination," Greene said.  
"Yes, quite," the king said. "Is my daughter still aboard?"  
"She is, and wondering about you," Greene said, as she and Shamus escorted the king and T'Lem to Medbay. When they arrived, Sally was overjoyed to see her father again.  
"But how did you get into the Void in the first place, Daddy?" she asked.  
"I'm not sure," Acorn said. "The last thing I remember before coming onboard this ship was being in my office doing paperwork. But I'm glad these people got me out. Your choice for Terran represenative was good indeed."  
  
========One year, two days later=========  
  
"And on this day, we gladly accept the generous offer of union from and with the Teran Alliance," said King Acorn, concluding a speech in the same square that the original Alliance representatives had come to just slightly more than a year ago. When the applause and cheers of the people died down, the king picked up a quill, diped it in some ink, and signed the treaty that would enter Mobius into the Alliance permanently, as did the president of the Alliance, and the reperesentatives of the other four worlds.  
"Planet Mobius, we welcome you to the Teran Alliance as the first new member in 81 years," the president said, over renewed cheering.  
"This outranks even the day we beat Robotnik as the best day of my life," Sally said, as she went around and hugged all on the platform, starting with her father.  
"Mine, too," the king said, and moved along with his daughter. When they came to Shamus, both thanked him, though he was almost too modest to accept.  
"Really, Mr. O'Reiley, you're the one that made all this possible," the king said. "It's still a tragedy that you had to loose your last living relative in the process. We'd like you to stay on as one of the ambassadors."  
"Gladly," Shamus said.  
  
=========Epilog=======  
  
The other ambassadors also stayed in their posts, though not as long as Shamus, who remained in his duties untill his death fifteen years later. The cause was determined to be old age, as he died in his sleep at age 78. He was buried on Mobius.  
The other ambassadors, T'Lem, Orlino, and Mokinaw, returned to their home worlds after five years. Tails Prower was sent to Earth as the chief represenative of Mobius, where he remained for as many years as Shamus was ambassador to Mobius.  
Sally and Sonic eventually took the throne, in the last five years of Shamus's life. They had had two children, a boy, Sonic Junior, and a girl, Sonia.  
Overall, peace reined in the galaxy after that, and the lives and achievements of all involved faded into history as figures of galactic peace.  
  
The End  
  
  
Another Author's Note  
  
I know I've said what I'm about to say before, but this time I'm sure that this will be the last Sonic story I produce, at least featuring these characters. I might do one or two about "Sonic Underground," but I don't see it in the foreseeable future. I hope this was an enjoyable story for all. I sorta enjoyed writing it, although it was kinda short. Thanks for reading.  
--Jesse Shearer  
----JMShearer@aol.com or ambasosor_lardo@hotmail.com  
  
  



End file.
